The Secret Life of Olivia Shaw
by gapeach22
Summary: What if the roles of Fitz and Olivia were reverse? Olivia is in the White House as First Lady and Fitz was her husband's closest advisor. The affair starts and ends long before their time in the Washington. Twenty years ago, Olivia met Fitz at the prestigious Washington-Adams College, and it changed the course of their lives.
1. Chapter 1

The Secret Life of Olivia Shaw

Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal or any of its characters. Moreover, Jacob (Jack) Shaw is the congressmen from Rhode Island that appeared in season two, not the Jake Ballard character.

* * *

Fitz turned on his television, and there she was…smiling. He hoped to avoid all the hoopla surrounding the inauguration and Jack's retirement. He sat on the couch and began searching for a channel…any channel…that wasn't covering Washington.

_"Here comes the President Shaw and the First Lady now," announced the CNN anchor. "They look more in love than they did eight years ago. _

_[CLICK] _

_"They are an amazing couple. Their marriage is an inspiration to all of us," chimed the MSNBC anchor._

_[CLICK] _

_"Whatever the next chapter holds in their lives, I can't wait to see it. They will continue changing the world for the better," added the CBS reporter._

Olivia and Jack walked out to Marine One and waved at the American public. They shook hands with the incoming President and First Lady and grinned for the cameras. They hugged Vice-President Rosen and the Second Lady one more time and wished them the best. Jacob placed his hand on Olivia's lower back and ushered her towards the helicopter. They paused on the steps for a moment to take it all in one last time. For the last eight years, they had called the White House home. It had protected them from the press, from the politics, and from the real world. It was their bubble. They had raised three beautiful boys in it, and it was the only home that Daniel knew. He was born late in Jack's first term, so "White House life" was all he understood. Olivia glanced down at Jack and nodded. They continued up the stairs and stepped onto Marine One. They buckled their seatbelts and waited for an all clear from the Secret Service. Olivia stared out the window at the crowd gathered around the South Lawn. They were cheering and waving American flags enthusiastically. Olivia took a deep breath and laid her hand on top of Jack's. She gently squeezed it and prayed for the right words to say.

"For what it is worth," she started. "I never meant to hurt you." She whispered it so lightly that he almost didn't hear her. "If I could go back and do things differently…god I would." Olivia turned around, so she could completely face Jack. "We're going to be okay…" It sounded like a reassuring statement, but it really was a question. She had sunk fifteen years into that marriage. They had a family together, a home, and most of all, a life together. She couldn't lose all of that. Olivia raised Jack's hand to her lips and kissed it.

Jack slowly slid his hand away from her and wiped it on the leg of his pants. He looked over at her with such disgust. She was no longer the woman he married. "I want a divorce" he responded. "I've been talking to Cyrus, and he thinks that we should wait at least a year before we announce it." He took another deep breath. "You and the boys can have house in Rhode Island. I'm taking the job at the UN, so I'm staying in New York. The boys will visit me on the weekends, and you'll have them on the weekdays…"

"Jack, please don't do this," she cried.

"We keep the charade going for a year. Then, we sit down with Oprah…Barbara Walters…or the reporter of our choice to announce the split. We will tell them that we drifted apart and that we have decided that it was best for us and the boys to divorce…"

"I can fix this. Just give me a chance, Jacky."

"Liv, it's too late. We can't…I can't do this anymore. I want a divorce." he finished.

The Secret Service finally cleared the helicopter for takeoff. The engine started, and the plane began slowly rising off the ground. They plastered a smile on their faces and looked out at the crowd. Jack leaned down and gave Olivia a kiss. They broke apart and continued waving at the cameras.

Once in the air, Jack and Olivia continued to ignore each other. There was no warmth between them. Olivia reflected on her life up to this point. "_How did I get to this point?" _she thought to herself. _"How could I let that man come in like a hurricane and destroy everything?"_ They hadn't seen each other in eleven years, but he still controlled her.

"I've stopped talking to him…" she started.

Jack glared at Olivia indignantly. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't. You _cheated _Olivia! You opened your legs to man who was not me. Did you like it? Did he make you scream? Did he touch you in all the right places? Was he everything you ever dreamed of, honey? " he shot back.

"I know you are upset with me, but…"

"Upset! I am more than _upset_. I am angry. I am livid. I am fuming!"

"Jack, tell me what to do and I will do it." Olivia was on the verge of breaking down. This was the first time…in a long time…that she felt weak and vulnerable.

"Give me the divorce."

"Anything but that..." she pleaded. " Let's make a deal…we've done it before."

Jack stared Olivia in the eyes. "Here's the deal," he laughed. "Olivia, quietly give me the divorce, and I will keep the affair to myself. I won't expose it and hurt your bid for senate. I will support you in any way that I can."

"You think this is about my senate campaign? I could care less about that! I am talking about our family." interrupted Olivia.

Jack ignored her outburst and continued talking. "If you don't, I will leak it to some conservative news outlet like Fox or _The Continental_, and when asked about it, I will confirm it. I will give them Fitz's name and I will tell the world how my wife is a whore and a home wrecker. How as an undergrad at Washington-Adams, you two fucked in his office on more than one occasion. God, _I will tell them everything, _Olivia_._"

Olivia took a deep breath and mulled over options. To be honest, Jack had her over a barrel, and she couldn't do anything about it. She could give Jack the divorce quietly and protect Fitz from a messy scandal. He deserved a nice life. Or, she could fight him on it and wait for him to come back her. Her boys needed their father. Once again, she was forced to choose between protecting Fitz and doing what was best for her.

"Fine," she murmured. "You can have the divorce."

Jack called over Cyrus and began talking about the divorce and his ambassadorship.

_"Now that the ceremonial fly around is over, Marine One is headed to Andrews Air Base. The President…I apologize…the former President and First Lady will catch a small Jetstream from there and head home to Rhode Island."_

_[CLICK]_

_"Diane, sorry for the interruption, I just got word that the President has accepted an ambassadorship for the United Nations. There is still no word on whether Mrs. Shaw will run in the next election cycle."_

_[CLICK] _

_"Goodbye Mr. President, and on behalf of the nation, I would like to say 'Thank you.' That's all we have for you from the White House. Have wonderful afternoon everyone, and back to you, Charles, in the studio." _

Fitz turned off the TV and threw the remote against the wall. He was angry with her. "_My world is shattered, and she's on TV smiling like America's sweetheart,_" he thought. Fitz brushed past Mellie in the kitchen. She didn't bother to ask what was wrong because she already knew. Twenty years later and that girl still had an effect on him. Fitz grabbed his coat and keys from the table and walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

"Start from the Beginning…"

_First, I would like to say "thank you" to all my followers and commentators. Without you, I would not have had the energy to write the next two chapters. You guys are my motivation. Next, I would love to hear your thoughts on the story, so feel free to comment or message me. Lastly, this chapter begins twenty years earlier when Olivia and Fitz first meet at Washington-Adams. She's starting her junior year and Fitz is a new professor. Enjoy!_

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_Twenty Years Earlier…_

Olivia ran down the hall towards her first class. It was the first day of junior year, and it wasn't going so great. Not only had she overslept, but she also had lost her bag. She had no phone, no keys, and no wallet. Her entire life was gone. "_This is going to be a great year," _she thought as she opened the door to her classroom. Olivia snuck into her public policy class and quietly sat in the back. For once, she was glad to be in a class of three-hundred. She glanced around looking for Harrison and Abby. A few minutes and one strained neck later, she had found them…in the front row. "_Really,_" she thought. There was no way she could join them without disrupting the class, so she decided to stay in the back. She took out her notebook and began to take notes.

After the class ended, Olivia rushed out the room like everyone else. While she waited for Harrison and Abby by the double doors, she caught up with some old friends about their summer. She politely excused herself when she saw Harrison.

"Liv!" called Harrison. "Where have you been?"

"I came in a little late, so I sat in the back…with the cool kids," she joked.

"Haha" Abby laughed sarcastically.

"So funny," chimed Harrison.

"Anyways, I have your bag, I grabbed it by mistake last night at the party," Abby interrupted. "Ugh! I left it in the auditorium. Sorry, I can go…" she smiled.

"It's fine. I'll go grab it. Meet you guys in the cafeteria?" she asked. Harrison and Abby nodded their heads in agreement and walked out of the building. Olivia opened the doors to the auditorium and jumped when they slammed behind her. "_They weren't that loud earlier," _she thought. 

"Can I help you with something? A loud voice boomed from the bottom with irritation. She looked down to see her professor reading over a stack of papers. He dropped his pen on the podium and began rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry, Professor Grant. I didn't mean to bother you." She apologized. "I left my bag, and I just need to grab it real quick." Olivia quietly walked down the stairs of the auditorium to the bottom and began looking for it. "_What an asshole,_" she thought. "_But, he was so nice during class._"

Fitz looked up from his notes momentarily and gave Olivia an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I have to defend my tenure to the department next class period, and I'm a little on edge about it." Fitz took a deep breath and began walking around the auditorium in small circles saying his speech aloud.

Olivia ignored his apology and continued looking for her bag. She searched every seat…every aisle with no luck. She decided to look down every aisle one last time before calling it quits.

Feeling bad for his behavior, Fitz decided to offer her some help. He walked over to her and leaned over her shoulder. "What does it look…" he began.

"Found it!" she exclaimed as she jumped up and hit Fitz in the nose with her head. Blood started running down his face. "I am _so _sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean…god, that's a lot of blood…are you okay?" she stammered.

"Yes…I've never been better." He shot back sarcastically as he titled his head back. "I just _love_ the taste of blood in my mouth."

"Wow. You don't have to be an asshole about it!" Olivia rummaged through her bag looking for a tissue. "Here, and I hope it's broken jackass!" She yelled as she threw a pack of Kleenex at him. Olivia stormed up the auditorium stairs and out the building.

* * *

When Olivia made it to Dash, she was still reeling from her encounter with Fitz. "_How dare he?" _she thought. "_He acted as if he owned the auditorium or something._" She stormed into the cafeteria and took an empty seat beside Abby. She slammed her bag on the table.

"Hi to you too…" smirked Abby as she tucked her hair behind ears.

"Liv, what's wrong?' inquired Harrison as he glanced over to Abby. " Did you see _him_ again? Liv, tell me and I will handle it."

"No, Harrison. It's not that." Olivia looked over at Harrison, and he nodded for her to continue. "I just had a _wonderful_ run in with our public policy professor…such a great guy," she sneered. "He deserves a teacher of the year award!"

Abby pushed her tray to the side and stared at Olivia. "Oh my god, you talked to him? Please tell me what happened, and don't skip a single juicy detail. Start from the beginning." She leaned in closer, so she wouldn't miss a word.

"So, I went back to the auditorium…"Olivia started. She gave Abby and Harrison a play-by-play of what happened. She told them about the bloody nose, the name calling, and how she stormed out of the auditorium like a 16-year old girl. After she finished, they all started laughing. Not only was the spat not that big of a deal, but the whole thing was bizarre.

"You called him an asshole and a jackass?" Harrison asked between laughs. "Wait…was douchebag and bastard beneath you?"

""Liv, you are going to fail that man's class. Your face is probably etched into his brain. You need to go apologize now, and kiss his Harvard ring like in the mob movies," added Abby as she tried to regulate her breathing.

"No, I am not apologizing to that man. I will burn in hell before I do that." Olivia replied as she began nibbling on Abby's leftover salad.

Harrison took a big gulp of his soda. "Liv, I don't think you have a choice. Let's be realistic about this. He has control over your final grade. You need public policy to graduate."

"You know what, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Liv," they both spoke it simultaneously.

"Drop it guys." She stared at both of them, and they raised their hands in defeat. "So, about tonight" she started. "What time do you guys want to meet for Founding Fathers' Night?"

Harrison rolled his eyes. "Not again. Founding Father's Night? I don't know about that, Liv. You remember last year…"

"Hey! I apologized for that." Abby interrupted. "You can't keep blaming me for something that happened over a year ago." She looked at Harrison, then back to Liv. "I'm in! It starts at 8, so we should probably be in line by 7:30?"

"Of course, you are." Harrison shook his head in disbelief. "I'm in," he mumbled as began cleaning up his space.

"Ok…7:30 at the entrance. Sounds like a plan." They all grabbed their stuff and headed off in different directions.

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Feel free to comment or message me!


	3. Chapter 3

"I Wish We Could Stay Like This for Forever…"

_Warning: This chapter contains some smut. If you don't like smut, you can skip to the bottom and read the recap. Also, it was my first time writing it, so please keep the criticism about it to a minimum. Enjoy!_

* * *

Fitz rushed home to change shirts. He had gotten blood all over his current one, and his extra one was in the cleaners. He opened the front door and ran upstairs towards his closet. As he walked into the bedroom, he bumped into Mellie hopping out of the shower.

"Is that blood?" she asked with a look of concern.

"Yeah," he replied as he took a step closer towards her. "I was leaning over someone, and they threw their head back." He pulled Mellie in a little closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Why are you here? I thought you had an early surgery?"

"I did, but it got pushed back until tonight. The patient had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia." Mellie stared at Fitz's nose trying to examine it. "Geez honey, sit down and let me check that out."

"Only if I can check you out later…" he teased as he followed her over to their bed. " You look so hot in that towel. It reminds me of senior year when we would shower together before class, and you would…"

"Fitz," she blushed. "You are such a freak!" She shook her head in shock. "…and don't start something you can't finish." Mellie removed the Kleenex from his nose and began examining it. She applied pressure to both sides and rubbed her finger along the bridge.

"Oh, I can finish. Remember our honeymoon? You're the one that came too…_ouch_!" he yelled. "That hurts."

Ignoring his outburst, Mellie continued examining his nose. "How is your breathing? Is it labored?"

"It's fine. I don't feel any extra strain."

"Ok. The good news is that your nose isn't broken, but it will be bruised for the next week or so. The bad news is that you will have to walk around with gauze and a bandage for a week. Sorry, honey." She pulled away from him and looked straight into his blue eyes. "If it makes you feel any better, I still think you're hot." She smiled.

Fitz pulled Mellie down until her lips met his. He lightly grazed his lips over hers. He ran his hands up and down her back, paying close attention to her shoulders. They were her weak spots. Mellie slightly parted her lips and pushed her tongue into his mouth. They could feel the excitement building in between them. Fitz quickly pulled Mellie down onto him and unwrapped her towel.

"Fitz…" she whispered. "

"Shhh…no talking. Unless it's dirty talk…," he grinned as he peppered her neck with kisses. Mellie giggled as he continued sucking on her neck. She hurriedly began unbuttoning his shirt and pulled it over his head. Once it was off, he grabbed Mellie by her waist and turned them over. They were in his favorite position. With Fitz on top, she was at his mercy.

"I love you," he whispered between kisses. "Every inch…every curve…and every imperfection."

"I love you too," moaned Mellie between gasps. She reached down and unbuckled his pants. She slowly ran her hand over his bulging manhood. She tried to pull his pants down, but they wouldn't budge. "Fitz, you have to come out of those, if we are…" Mellie felt Fitz's hand in between her legs, and he was playing with her core. She could feel his fingers separating her folds for better access. His fingers were going in and out then up and down. It felt amazing. "_Gosh, you always make me lose my mind,_" she thought. "Please…" she begged.

Fitz hesitantly stood up, stepped out of his pants and boxers, and climbed back on top of Mellie. "Is this what you want?" he asked as his hands slid down her body. When they reached her knees, they slowly pulled them apart. "Is this what you want?" he asked again in a huskier voice.

"Yes. I want it!" yelled Mellie as continued playing with her. "I want you…all of you…inside of me." Fitz smiled and decided that was enough torture for her. He slowly traced her entrance with the tip of his manhood. After a few more seconds of teasing Mellie, he finally pushed it into her, and she gasped in response. He waited for her walls to adjust to him before moving. When he heard her exhale, he knew it was time. It didn't take long for them to find their rhythm and reached their climax together. Mellie came first, and her contractions sent Fitz right over the edge behind her. They both laid in the king-sized bed waiting for their breathing to return to normal. Fitz was about to roll off her when she stopped him.

"Stay," she huffed. "Don't move. I just want to feel you for a few minutes…" Fitz nodded his head in agreement and tried to stay as still as possible, so he wouldn't fall out. As much as he enjoyed making love to Mellie, the moments after were his favorite parts. In those moments, they were truly one, and he could feel the connection between them.

"I wish we could stay like this for forever…," he moaned into her chest.

"Me too," answered Mellie. She started moving her hands through his hair and tried to enjoy the moment. Because one day, they would have kids along with crazy careers, and moments like this would be rare.

An hour later, Mellie and Fitz were dressed and headed back to work. Fitz walked Mellie out to her Lexus and gave a quick peck on the lips.

"Fitz," she called as she buckled her seatbelt. "I'm on call tonight, so I might stay at the hospital after my surgery. If you want, there is lasagna in the freezer and a salad in the fridge. I'll text you the instructions when I get to the hospital."

"It's fine, Mel. I have that Founding Fathers' thing tonight. I'll just grab a burger and some chips from there," he smiled. "Don't worry about me. Just focus on your surgery. I got this!" he joked.

Mellie let out the loudest laugh ever as she started her car. "You got this?" she teased. "Honey, please stop imitating your students. You sound like a fratty douchebag."

"Is it _that_ awful?"

"Yes!" Mellie shook her head for added emphasis. "I love you and good luck with your defense."

"Thanks, and I love you too."

Fitz walked over to his Land Rover and waited for Mellie to pull out of the driveway. He waved to her as she drove past him. Once she was out of sight, he got into is SUV and headed back to campus.

* * *

_Recap: We finally met past Mellie! She is a surgeon, and they (Fitz and Mellie) genuinely love each other. In other news, Fitz is going to Founding Fathers' Night. I wonder who he will run into? Thoughts anyone? _


	4. Chapter 4

You Had a Choice…

_Hey Guys! Thanks for the support! It means a lot to me. Anyways, here's the latest chapter, and it's a doozy. I hope you all enjoy it!_

* * *

_Present Day in Rhode Island…_

As the Jetstream landed in Rhode Island, Cyrus took a seat beside Olivia. They both looked out the window at the crowd of journalists and supporters. They saw American flags waving, camera lights flashing, and posters that read "Olivia for Senate."

"They really like you Liv," interrupted Cyrus. "You're polling better than Jack right now. It's quite ironic." Cyrus joked as he squeezed Olivia's knee. "The First Lady has higher approval ratings for a future campaign than the President had after an entire term in office. Gotta love the American public!"

Olivia continued staring out of the window. "I'm not running. Not anymore," she said. "I have sacrificed too much for this country without anything in return. _It is time that I move on._ I am cutting my losses and leaving DC in the past." Olivia thought about all the sacrifices she had made and shook her head in disbelief.

"Liv, donors are already lining up at the door. _They want you._ I have received a phone call from every left leaning PAC in the country!" He tapped her on the knee for added emphasis. "You could be president…the first black, female president. Talk about historical! You would be added to the ranks of Obama...Clinton...Kennedy. We have another chance to fix this country…to put it on the right track. " Cyrus leaned back, closed his eyes, and imagined another eight years in the White House. They could tackle immigration, education, and social welfare reform. He was excited and nervous.

"Cyrus…" she whispered through gritted teeth. "I am not running. I just want a normal, quiet life now." Olivia continued staring at the crowd. "I am starting my own nonprofit in Vermont and focusing on the boys. It's over Cyrus."

"No! It is not over!" Cyrus opened his eyes and slammed his fist on the armrest. "We have a plan, and I will make sure that everything goes accordingly. I have given you fifteen years of my life. I have put my blood, sweat, and tears into _your_ political future. I have cheated for you. I have lied for you. I have even come _this _close to killing for you." He shoved his hand into her face, so she could see exactly how close he came. "I have surreptitiously saved you from yourself so many times, but enough is enough! You are no longer a kid, Olivia. You are an adult, and this is real life. There certain things that you want and they come with a hefty price. So…"

"I don't want this._ I never wanted this._ I just wanted to live a normal life with…"

"_Him?_" finished Cyrus jokingly. "Are you kidding me? After twenty years, you still live in fantasyland when it comes to _that man_. Why must you be _so _stupid? Why can't you appreciate all that we have provided for you? You couldn't just take it and say 'thank you, Cy.' No, you had to go and piss on it."

Olivia turned around and looked at Cyrus. "I never asked you to do any of those things. You did that on your own. You and daddy wanted me in the White House changing the world, so don't blame me for your sins. _You had a choice._"

"Okay first of all, _I didn't want you in White House_. Your father did. He contacted _me_ about your political career decades ago and asked that I make it happen. Yeah, I saw something in you, and I thought you would be a great leader…a real mover and a shaker, but don't put this flaming pile of shit on me. _You had a choice_ _too, Olivia_. Two, we both you know your move to Vermont is not about 'being normal.' You think that if you move to Vermont, he will follow you there. He will divorce his wife of twenty-three years…the mother of his children…and the co-chair of his foundation… _to_ _marry_ _you_, his mistress. Olivia, he had countless opportunities in the past to leave Mellie, but he didn't…and this time will be no different. Three, the next time you deviate from the plan, there will be consequences. Remember that I am a political monster and much more terrifying than you can ever imagine. Now, go fix your makeup and drink a cup of coffee. You look a little down." Cyrus patted Olivia on the knee and stood up. He smoothed the wrinkles out of shirt, buttoned his blazer, and walked back to his seat.

* * *

_Meanwhile in California…_

Mellie poured another glass of wine and continued to pace around the kitchen. Fitz left over three hours ago, and she had yet to hear a word from him. In her state of panic, she called Jake for help. It was a decision that she knew she would come to regret. However, tonight, Fitz was her priority, and Jake was the key to finding him. Thus, she would cross that bridge when she got there.

"Mel!" screamed Jake as he walked into the foyer and placed his keys in the bowl. Mellie rushed out of the kitchen and towards Jake. He opened his arms, and she fell right into them. "It's okay. I'm here now." He rubbed small circles on her back in hopes of comforting her.

"Fitz is missing again, and I don't know what to do." She cried into his chest. "I thought things were getting better, but…"

"He's not missing, Mel. He's just being a brat," responded Jake. "Don't worry. I will find him and bring him home." Jake squeezed Mellie a little tighter before letting her go. He grabbed his keys and walked out the door. Once in the car, Jake hacked Fitz's phone and pulled its GPS coordinates. It was a bar. "_Fitz, why must you be so selfish?_" he thought to himself. He started the car and headed towards the interstate.

When Jake walked into the bar, he saw Fitz sitting in a booth and nursing what looked like his fourth scotch. "_Not again,_" he thought. "_Fitz, you were doing so well_." Jake grabbed a water from the bartender and took a seat beside Fitz. After few minutes of silence, Jake finally decided to speak. He had only one question for Fitz.

"Why?" He asked. "Why are so determined to destroy your life for a woman who doesn't want you? She had a choice, and she chose him." He watched as Fitz to another sip of his drink. "Are you going to answer me?" Fitz looked up from his glass to Jake and raised an eyebrow. "Fine, if you don't want to talk, you don't have to, but you will listen to me." Jake took a deep breath and pushed the water towards Fitz. "Get over her! It has been twenty years. She had a choice…_you_ had a choice…and neither one of you chose each other. You guys made your decision, and now, it is time for everyone to move on…"

"Shut up," slurred Fitz with such bitterness.

"She has. I saw the inauguration today…did you? They looked so happy together. I almost forgot that once upon a time she was your mistress."

"Don't you dare call her that! Liv was more than a mistress." He pointed his finger in Jake's face. "..and you have no clue as to what is going on between us…"

"Not exactly, but I have a pretty good idea…absolutely nothing is going on between you two. Because she is married to Jack...you know the former leader of the free world…the retiring commander chief. Oh, and the father of her children," Jake leaned back in the booth and laughed to himself. "How can I forget that one!" he finished. "I constantly see pictures of them in the news. Those boys are adorable."

Fitz let out a frustrated sigh and took another swig of his drink. "Child," he corrected.

"Excuse me?"

"He is the father of her child," enunciated Fitz. "The first two are mine." Fitz looked at Jake and smiled. "Shocked? I was too. It's been only been a few months since I found out, and I still pinch myself when I say it." joked Fitz ."Cheers to me! And you too, Jake! You're an uncle!" Fitz raised his glass and toasted Jake. "You're still my half-brother, right? Honestly, I can't remember whether you jumped on James's bandwagon and disowned me. How is the journalist, by the way?" Fitz finished his drink and slid out of the booth for another one. "Anyways, congratulations Captain!" He patted Jake on the back and left him mulling over his announcement. Jake tried to process it, but all he could think about was Mellie.

* * *

Recap: One, I LOVE Cyrus! I had soooo much fun writing him. What about that monologue? Two, Jake is Jake Ballard and James is James Novak from the show, in case you missed it. Fitz's mom remarried a few times, so they are all half-brothers. Don't worry, a scene with all three is in the works. So excited! Three, what about that bombshell?! I am still in shock, and I wrote it! PLEASE let me know what you think! Feel free to follow, comment, or message me.


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, That's Life..."

Hey Guys! I loved reading your comments and messages. They always put a huge smile on my face :) Anyways, I am not writing Cyrus out of the story. His character is just too much fun to write, and he is my favorite character. As for Jake and Mellie, that question is answered in this chapter. and you will find out why he feels the way he does soon. Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jake pulled into Fitz's driveway and turned off the engine. He looked over at his sleeping brother and tried to suppress the rage that he felt. It took all of his self-control not to punch Fitz in the face and to leave him miserable in that bar. Jake was disappointed and looking at him was sickening.

Jake helped Fitz out of the car and into the house. They stumbled past a sleeping Mellie on the living room couch. Jake paused for minute and stared at her. She looked so peaceful. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn't want to wake her. "_This is the calm before storm,_" he thought as he followed Fitz into the study and sat on the couch.

"You can go now," ordered Fitz as he fixed another drink. "I think I can handle myself from here," joked Fitz as he took a sip.

"We need to talk," countered Jake. "You cannot…you will not tell Mellie that you have kids with Olivia. It will destroy her, and she will never recover." Jake closed his eyes and tried to forget his last statement. He had never lied to Mellie, but this time was different. This was for her own good.

"Thanks for the advice," Fitz spat sarcastically. "I will take it under consideration when making _my_ decision."

"I am serious."

Fitz turned around and stared at Jake. "I would think Mellie learning about Olivia's kids would be a dream come true for you. You could sweep in and save the day like always. _Oh, the shrine that woman would create for you_…"

Jake ignored Fitz's accusation and continued talking. "If you tell her, she will leave, and she will never come back. She is the best thing that you have right now."

"Best thing I have? Or, the best thing _you_ have right now?"

"There is nothing going on between Mellie and me. Unlike you, I don't chase after married women, especially when they have no interest in me. "

"Get out!" screamed Fitz.

"Lower your voice," calmly replied Jake. "Teddy and Mellie are sleeping, and these walls are thin."

Fitz lowered his voice an octave. "Get out or I will throw you out." Fitz brushed pass Jake and took a seat at his desk. "Goodnight Jake."

To avoid another argument, Jake decided to leave. Once in his car, he quickly typed Mellie a text message but hesitated to send it. Against his better judgment, he sent it. He knew it would be a decision that he would come to regret.

Back in the study, Fitz pressed play on his iHome remote and leaned back in his chair. He finished the last of his drink and allowed the sweet jazz music to fill his ears. An hour later, his office line ranged. Without looking at caller id, he picked up phone.

"Jake, do you ever give up?" he asked.

"This isn't Jake,"

Fitz threw his head back and immediately regretted his decision to answer the phone. They had not spoken in months, not since he confronted her about the paternity of the boys, so why was she calling him now. Fitz sat the phone on the desk and contemplated his next move. He placed the phone next to his ear and waited.

"Fitz, are you still there? _Please_ say something." She begged. "I need to know it is you, or I have to hang up. It's 3am on the east coast, and I cannot afford a scandal right now."

"It's me, Olivia." He took a moment to gather himself. "What do you need?"

"Nothing. I wanted to hear your voice. I had a rough day, and I didn't know who else to call."

"Well, that's life. We all have rough days. Grow up. Is there anything else?"

Olivia tried to fight back the tears. The inside of her throat was burning from suppressing her cry. She took a second to gather herself. "Fitz," she started. "Do you remember that night at the Founding Father's barbeque?" He said nothing and that hurt her a little bit. "I do…just like it was yesterday. You were wearing a gray slacks and a white button down with the sleeves rolled up. I was wearing white sundress with…"

"Yellow…" he interrupted. "Your dress was yellow with polka dots "

Olivia bit the inside of her cheek to stop the smile from spreading across her face. She knew her dress was yellow, but she wanted to see if he remembered…and if he cared enough to correct her. "Okay, yellow. My dress was yellow." She said as she laid down on her bed. "It was so hot that night…"

_Flashback: Twenty Years Earlier…_

_Olivia, Harrison, and Abby walked into the football stadium and were pleasantly surprised by what they saw. The student affairs board had transformed the stadium into a mini carnival with food, music, and rides. On the 10-yard line, there were carnival games and stuffed animals. A Ferris wheel sat on the 100-yard line, and the line wrapped around the attraction. In the middle sat the dance floor and the concession stands. People were sitting on hay bells, eating junk food, and chatting away. _

_"This is…" exhaled Abby._

_"Incredible," finished Olivia. "SAB really outdid themselves this year. This is going to be fun!" _

_"So what should we do first?" asked Harrison. "Ferris wheel anyone?" They all nodded their heads in agreement and headed towards the long line. _

_An hour later, they reached the front of the line. _

_"How many?" asked the bubbly sorority girl. _

_"Three…" responded Harrison as he looked her over. _

_"Sorry, this is a two person ride. You can either find someone else to ride with, or one of you will have to wait…" she explained with a smile. _

_They all looked at each other. "I can wait. I'm not a fan of heights anyways," offered Olivia. _

_"No, we are all going all on this ride. I will find you someone, Liv." Abby walked down the platform and searched for someone. After a minute or so, she returned. "Look at who I found…in line…alone." Harrison and Olivia turned around and both of their jaws dropped. _

* * *

_Recap:_ Jake and Fitz argued again. Can I give the comeback of the year award to Jake? I think that he deserves it. What about Olivia and the sundress "mistake?" She played Fitz like piano. Lastly, we saw Harrison and Abby again. Gotta love those two. As always, let me know what you think via messages and comments. Until next time...


	6. Chapter 6

"This Time Will Be Different…I Promise"

Hey Guys! This chapter picks up right where the last one left off. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

_Twenty years earlier..._

_"This is not happening. I am not getting on that ride with him." Olivia stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Again, I will burn before I do that."_

_"I don't want to ride with you either," replied Fitz. "You broke my nose, and now, I have to wear this thing for a week." Fitz stared at Olivia and pointed to the bandage covering his nose. _

_"I didn't break your nose. You're being dramatic."_

_"I am not!" _

_"Sorry," interrupted the attendant. "Are you guys riding? Because there is a long line…" _

_"Yes," answered Abby with a smile. "Harrison and I are together, and those two are together." _

_Each couple filed into their buggy and waited for the ride to start. The tension between Olivia and Fitz was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. After a few minutes of silence, Fitz decided to be the bigger person and speak. _

_"So…what's your name?" _

_"Olivia…Olivia Pope," answered Olivia. _

_After a few seconds had passed, Fitz asked another question. "Is this your first Founding Fathers' event?" he asked. _

_"No, my third." She snapped without looking at him. _

_Fitz looked at Olivia. He was amazed at her ability to hold onto a grudge. He was trying to make nice, but she wasn't giving an inch. If he could let the incident in the auditorium go, why couldn't she? _

_"It's my eighth one, and I have to say that this is by far the best one." _

_"If you say so…" mumbled Olivia. _

_"My first one was terrible. I didn't know the Washington-Adams dance, and…" _

_Olivia turned to face Fitz and stared into his eyes. "I don't care…" interrupted Olivia. "…and please stop talking. I'm trying to enjoy the ride." She turned back around and looked out at the crowd. _

_"I can't believe this!" thought Fitz. "The nerve of this girl." Fitz turned around and looked at Olivia. "You know what, I'm done!" shouted Fitz. _

_"What?" _

_"I'm done…I'm done being nice to you. For the past fifteen minutes, I have tried my best to be pleasant. You broke my nose, and I'm the one being nice. You called me an asshole and jackass!" _

_"Well, you were!" _

_Olivia shocked Fitz with her response. "You are being ridiculous right now!" Fitz threw his hands up in defeat. "When you want to talk like two adults, let me know. Otherwise, I will be over here enjoying the view." _

_They both turned their backs to each other and rode the rest of the ride in silence. Once it finished, they unbuckled their belts, walked towards the exit, and headed in separate directions. _

_"Dr. Grant," yelled Olivia before Fitz got too far away. _

_"Yes, Ms. Pope…" _

_"Never mind…it's not important." _

_Fitz raised his eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure?" _

_Olivia took a deep breath. "Thanks for riding with me. I really appreciate it." She looked down at the ground and nervously played with the hem of her dress. _

_"You're welcome." Fitz smiled. "Anything else?" _

_"Nope, I think that covers it." replied Olivia with smirk. She knew what he was hinting at, but she refused to acknowledge it. _

_"I accept your apology." Fitz took a few steps closer to Olivia, and Olivia took a few steps closer to him. _

_"I don't know what you're talking about." _

_"I accept your apology," reiterated Fitz. "…and I think this is the beginning to a beautiful friendship." He teased as extended his hand for a handshake. _

_"I wouldn't go that far…" Olivia grabbed his and gave it firm shake. _

_When Olivia's hand touched Fitz's, the world stopped for both of them. They gazed into each other's eyes, and they knew exactly what the other one was thinking._

_"I should go," spoke Olivia. _

_"You should go…" agreed Fitz. _

_They both smiled at each other and reluctantly pulled apart. They walked away knowing that whatever just happened between them wasn't over. _

Present Day…

"Olivia, get to the point," ordered Fitz as he leaned forward in his chair. "I don't have all night."

"Fitz, I've always had a difficult time admitting that I made mistake, so you know how hard this is for me to say, but I am truly sorry for keeping the boys a secret from you. I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to…"

"But you did hurt me," interrupted Fitz. "You ruined me, and I don't know if we…if I can come back from this. You cheated me! I missed their first steps…their first words…their births." His ears were burning from all the rage. "I missed their births, Olivia. I didn't cut their umbilical cords or hear their first cry. You took all of that away from me."

"I know, but we can try. We can fix this." Olivia could feel the tears run down her cheek.

"No, it is unfixable. I can forgive and forget lots of thing, but this…you went too far this time. There is nothing you can say…nothing you can do…that will change my mind."

"Fitz, Jack and I are divorcing." She blurted out and waited a few seconds. There was no response from him. "Give me one year, and I will make you the happiest man on earth. I will move to Vermont, so we can live a normal, quiet life. You could teach again, and I could be on city council. We could raise the boys together in countryside in a huge house with tons of bedrooms. We would fight over doing the dishes and closet space." She stared at the ceiling for a moment and tried to remember more details from their conversations over the years.

"…and on Friday nights, we could have mini movie marathons and share a bowl of popcorn." finished Fitz. For a moment, his anger subsided as he remembered the dream.

"We could grow old together," whispered Olivia. "I love you, and a life without you is pointless. I am sick and tired of feeling dead on the inside. I want to feel alive again...with you." Olivia was on the verge of a full breakdown. All the emotions that she had bottled up throughout years were threatening to come out. "Will you wait for me Fitz? Will you give us another chance? This time will be different…I promise."

"No," he answered flatly. She had numerous opportunities to choose him, but she never did. "_So, why would this time different?_" he thought. "Liv, it's too late. I am tired of waiting for you. Go work on your marriage with Jack. You need him, especially if you want to win a midterm election."

"I can do that with you...'

"No, you can't. Because I'm done," stated Fitz.

"Fitz, please don't…" she begged.

"I'm hanging up now. Good bye Olivia," and with that Fitz placed the phone back on the base. He reclined back in his chair and reflected on his conversation with Olivia. "_It is time for a change,_" he thought. "_There has to be more to life than this._"

* * *

_Recap:_ Fitz and Olivia finished their conversation. She is trying to win him back, but he's not giving an inch. She brought up the dream, and nothing happened. Plus, he hung up on her. Feel free to let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

"You Are Not Stupid. I Feel It Too…"

Hey Guys! Here's the latest chapter. It's a little longer than the previous ones. You're welcome ;) I've received some questions, and I would like to take a moment and answer them. 1) Olivia's phone call to Fitz was a moment of weakness. She was having a rough day, and she didn't know who else to call. She always finds comfort in Fitz and the dream. It's like a mini escape. She likes her life with Jack, but she thinks that she could have a better one with Fitz. 2) Jack and Olivia have been married for 15 years, and her affair ended right before she entered the White House. You will learn why Fitz didn't know the boys were his and why he can't forgive her in the next chapter. 3) Re-read the previous chapters all at once. I tried to write the story like the show. There is a reason why they say the things that they say. Thus, when you see the entire thing at once, you will kick yourself for not seeing the coming twist. For example, in chapter one, Jack blackmails Olivia into the divorce by saying "I will tell them everything." What is everything? Or when Olivia asks Jack for a deal because they've "done it before." What was the first deal? Lastly, Olivia admits that once again that she has to choose between "protecting Fitz and doing what was best for her."

Anyways, here's the last chapter for awhile because I have finals and graduation coming up. It picks up a few months after the barbecue. I hope you enjoy it!

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_Twenty years earlier…_

It had been three months since the Founding Fathers' barbeque, and things had greatly improved between Olivia and Fitz. They were going so well that she asked him to be her advisor for the global initiative symposium. Over the last few months, they had met numerous times in his office and around campus to discuss her project.

"…and what about microfinance in Africa?" asked Fitz as he wrote notes in the margins. "Is it just as effective as in India?"

"No, it's less effective," answered Olivia. "Because they lack the infrastructure needed to monitor the loans."

"Hmmm…interesting." Fitz flipped the page over and continued reading. Once he finished, he placed the pen on the desk and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Great work, you have a logical, coherent argument, and it is very easy to follow. You will do great at the symposium," smiled Fitz.

"Really?"

"Yes," he reassured her. "I've judged at the symposium for the last five years, and I can honestly say that this is a great paper." Fitz pointed to the paper for added emphasis. "Don't worry. You will do fine, and you have two more months to perfect it anyways. The symposium isn't until January." Fitz handed Olivia her paper and began packing up his stuff.

"You're just trying to make me feel better," teased Olivia as she grabbed the paper and placed it in her bag.

"Olivia, you are an intelligent, talented woman, Have a little faith in yourself."

"Thanks Dr. Grant…for everything."

"It was my pleasure. It's was refreshing to work an undergrad who cares about microfinance in the developing world. Despite what you may think about professors, we don't have stimulating conversations about our specialty every day."

"Well, if you ever want to have another stimulating conversation on micro-financing, feel free to give me a call."

"Will do," smirked Fitz as he grabbed his stuff and followed Olivia out the door.

As he locked the door, Olivia was overcome with regret. This was their last appointment, and she was sad to say goodbye. For the past three months, she had seen a different side of Fitz…a side she really liked. He was smart, interesting, and good-looking…extremely good-looking. With him, everything was easy, and she had never felt that way about someone before.

"_Hurry up and ask him to dinner before you lose your nerve,_" she thought to herself. She had wanted to ask Fitz to dinner since their first late night writing session in his office. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She took a deep a breath and tried again.

"Are you hungry?" blurted Olivia without thinking.

"Am I hungry?" repeated Fitz. Olivia nodded her head to confirm. "Not really. I ate a sub a couple of hours ago…"

"Oh okay," interrupted Olivia. "I was just wondering. Goodnight Dr. Grant." Olivia turned around and hurriedly walked down the hallway towards the exit.

Fitz quickly pulled out his key and ran after her. "Ms. Pope!" he called. "Wait up." She ignored his calls and continued out the door. By the time Fitz caught up with her, she was unlocking the door to her car. "Ms. Pope! Are you okay?" he yelled from across the parking lot.

She turned around and hoped that he wouldn't notice the tears pooling in her eyes. "I'm fine. I just need to get home and finish my paper. It's so stressful," she lied.

He walked a little closer to her. "You are not fine. You look like someone killed your dog," joked Fitz. He hoped it would lighten the mood, but it didn't.

"No….I feel stupid. That's all," mumbled Olivia under her breath.

"What? I can't hear you…"

"I feel stupid. That's all," she repeated as she focused on the ground.

Fitz pulled Olivia into his arms and rubbed her back. "Don't feel stupid. Like I said before, you are an amazing woman, and everything will be fine."

Olivia looked up at Fitz, and all she wanted to do was kiss him. She wanted to taste him. She took a deep breath and decided to just do it. She quickly rose on her tippy toes and planted a kiss. Initially, he just stood there, No response, but eventually his mouth let her in. Their tongues played with each other's while their lungs fought for air. After a few seconds, he pushed her away.

"I can't…we can't…" stammered Fitz.

"I know…" replied Olivia. "You're my professor, and you could lose your job."

Fitz quickly drifted into his own world. "Mellie is going to kill me!" He shouted as he began to pace around in a small circle. "What am I going to do? She is going to leave me!"

"We can forget that this happen. Just act…wait a minute. Who is Mellie?" asked Olivia as she tried to hide her shock.

"My wife…Mellie is my wife."

"You're married!" yelled Olivia as she hit him in the chest. "What? Why don't you wear a ring? Why didn't you say something before I embarrassed myself?"

"Because Mellie didn't want to wear a ring. She's a surgeon and was afraid that she would lose it in between scrub ins. Plus, my marital status isn't anyone's damn business. I'm not looking for anyone, and if they ask, I always say no."

"I am so sorry Dr. Grant," apologized Olivia. "I didn't know. I thought you were flirting with me with the ride and the compliments and the late night…it doesn't matter. I am _so _sorry. Goodnight Dr. Grant." Olivia got into car and sped out of the parking lot leaving Fitz alone with his thoughts.

Once at home, Fitz showered and brushed his teeth, changed into his pajamas, and climbed into bed with Mellie. In response, she turned off the TV and snuggled closer to him.

"Mel," he started. "Remember our vows…especially the part where we said that we could tell each other anything without judgment."

"Yeah…why?" She buried her face into his chest and began playing with the drawstring of his sweats.

"One of my students…the symposium one…kissed me today." He blurted it out before he lost the nerve to tell her.

"Did you feel anything?" she asked calmly.

"No…" he lied.

"Okay. Thanks for telling me," coolly replied Mellie.

"You're not upset?" asked Fitz.

"No. I know that you love me and some sleazy kiss won't change that." She reassured him. "We've dealt with girls and crushes before, and this time is no different."

"If it makes you feel any better, I've decided not to go to the symposium this year. I'm staying at home that weekend."

"Fitz," Mellie sat up in bed and gave him a disappointed look. "Go. You go every year. It's fine."

"Are you sure?'

"Yeah," and with that Fitz kissed Mellie goodnight and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_Two months later_…

Fitz checked into his hotel and began preparing for project presentations. It had been two months since he spoke to Olivia. He always saw her in his public policy class, but she never talked to him. Every day, his heart broke a little more. After reviewing the schedule of presentations, he headed downstairs to see Olivia present.

While Olivia didn't win the overall award, she did make it to the third round. He truly wanted her to win. However, either way, he was proud of her. After catching up while simultaneously bragging on Olivia with the other judges, Fitz walked out of the auditorium and headed straight for the elevator. A few seconds later, the elevator doors opened. He stepped on to see a happy Olivia.

"Congratulations," he said as stepped onto the elevator. "I knew you would do great."

"Thank you. What floor?" she asked.

"It's already pressed. Are you on the fifth floor too?"

"Yeah…room 503." Olivia pulled out her phone and checked her email.

"Please don't do that. Please don't be curt with me right now. "

"I'm not being _curt_. I'm keeping our relationship professional."

"You kissed me. I think we are _way _passed being professional," joked Fitz. "Things will never…"

"…and you kissed me back," interrupted Olivia. "You shoved your tongue down my throat too."

"I know…it was a gut reaction." He admitted as he shoved his in his pockets. "It almost felt…"

"Natural," she finished without looking at him. "It felt natural…like our mouths were made for each other." Olivia took a step towards Fitz. She tried to hide her face, so he wouldn't see how being around him was torture.

"Yeah…" he whispered as he took a step towards her. "I'm married." He reminded her as he stared at her profile.

"I know…" She replied as she continued to stare at the elevator's electrical panel.

"…and your teacher."

Olivia closed her eyes and inhaled his woodsy cologne. It had been a long time since they had stood this close to each other. "I know. I mistook your niceness for something else, but it won't happen again. Don't worry, it was only a school girl crush. I will stop liking you…eventually," promised Olivia.

"Okay," agreed Fitz. "So, can you stop avoiding me now? I miss our conversations on policy in the developing world…my office hours just aren't the same without you," he joked.

"No promises, but I'll think about," spoke Olivia as the elevator dinged. "Goodnight Dr. Grant. Enjoy the rest of your stay." She stepped out of the elevator and sprinted towards her room. Once inside, she leaned against the door and slowly slid down to the floor. She let out the loudest sob, and the tears came soon after.

Fitz closed his door and thought about his conversation with Olivia. It took all of his self-control not to push her against that wall and kiss her. He felt terrible for what happened and the way he was feeling about her. He had never thought about another woman in that way. Mellie had always been his world. However, since the kiss, all he could think about was the taste of her mouth and the feel of her tongue against his. The warmth his lips felt when she gently grazed her lips over his, and the pleasure that rushed through him when she bit his lower lip towards the end of it. Their kiss felt so natural that kisses with Mellie felt weird now. Unlike his kiss with Olivia, there was no passion in them. He didn't want Olivia to kiss him, but she did…and now he craved her all of the time. Fitz grabbed his keycard and headed towards her room. Once there, he knocked and waited for her to answer the door.

Olivia opened the door and was shocked to find Fitz standing there with his hands in his pockets and rocking on the balls of his feet.

"Dr. Grant…" she whispered as she wiped her tear-stained cheeks. "What are…"

"I feel it too," he interrupted as he closed his eyes. "You were right. I kissed you back, and I enjoyed every second of it. Now, every time I see you, I find myself remembering that kiss…the way your tongue felt against mine…the way your mouth tasted salty from your chips…and the pleasure that I felt when you bit my lower lip. I remember it all. Sometimes, I sit in my office, and I daydream about you. I wonder what you are doing and who are you talking to. It takes all of my energy just to focus on my work. Other times, I sit in my office and regret not going farther with you. I should have pulled you in closer and left trail of kisses on your neck. I should've slipped my hands under your shirt and played with you. Most of all, I should've grabbed your hand and lead you back to my office, so I could lay you on my desk and make love to you." Fitz took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "You are not stupid. I feel it too." Fitz took another deep breath and waited for her to respond.

Olivia grabbed Fitz by his tie and pulled him into her room.

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As always, let me know what you think. Feel free to post your theories in the comments. Also, if you message me, I might respond. You never know. Anyways, thanks for reading, and I will see you guys later. -XOXO


	8. Chapter 8

"Top…or…Bottom?"

Hey Guys! I had a break in between finals, so I decided to write another chapter. It is full of smut. If you don't like smut, feel free to scroll to the bottom and read the recap. Also, I love the feedback and the well wishes for graduation! Thanks guys! Anyways, here some answers to a few of your questions: 1) Mellie encouraged Fitz to attend the symposium because she trusted him and he hasn't given her reason not. She asked if he felt anything, and he lied. He told her "no." Just remember that. 2) I don't know how one kissed caused him to feel this way, but it did. Maybe they are soul mates? 3) Mellie's kids are older than Olivia's. 4) Jacob Shaw is white with brown hair. He is in the first episode of season 2. 5) I've already started working on the next chapter. Get ready!

Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Olivia grabbed Fitz by his tie and pulled him into her room. Immediately, their bodies crashed into each other's, and they began kissing passionately. The heat between them was no longer ignorable. They both craved each other, and there was no turning back now. Fitz could feel Olivia's nipples harden against his chest as her tongue thrashed about in his mouth. He loved everything about her kisses. He loved the way her tongue lightly grazed the top of his mouth every other second…and the way she bit his lower lip causing the perfect amount of pleasure and pain for him…but most of all, he loved how mouth always had distinct taste. The last time she tasted salty, and tonight, she tasted sweet, undoubtedly from the refreshments served earlier. Fitz wrapped his arms around her back and quickly unzipped her dress. He pushed it off her shoulders and watched it pool around her feet. He was pleasantly surprised to discover she had only a bra on and no panties. It also turned him on to see her juices running down her thighs. "_Gosh, she is gorgeous_," he thought.

Olivia untied Fitz's tie and threw it on the floor. All she wanted was to be with him. She wanted to feel his hands all over her body and exploring every inch of her. She wanted to run her hand through his hair and gently squeeze the back of his neck. But most of all, she wanted his member inside of her. She wanted him to pump into her with all his might sending her over the edge, so she could scream his name at the top of her lungs. She had dreamt of this moment a lot over the last few months, and she was excited for it to finally happen. Olivia took a deep breath and helped Fitz take of his shirt. Next, she tugged at his belt until it came undone. Fitz roughly picked up Olivia causing her to smile. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and she rubbed her bare core over the tent of his pants leaving behind a sticky mess. She almost came right then but forced herself to stop because she wanted to feel him first. Fitz walked them over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. Before long, they were both completely naked and leaving love marks on each other's body. "_He feels so good_," thought Olivia.

"Top…or…bottom?" asked Fitz as he took her breast into his mouth and sucked on it.

"Bottom," moaned Olivia as she grinded on his lap. She loved the way his erection felt when pressed against her inner thigh.

Fitz ran his hands up her spine and stopped at the top to massage her shoulders "Really?" questioned Fitz. "I would have taken you as a topper."

"Shhh….no talking…unless it's dirty talk." whispered Olivia as she nibbled on his ear. "Dr. Grant, you are killing the mood. I might have to spank you," she joked.

Fitz pushed Olivia over, so he could be on top. "You want dirty talk? I got your dirty talk," teased Fitz. He ran his hands down her body. When he reached her thighs, he gave them a gently squeeze before pulling them apart. "You are really wet. Did I do that?" asked Fitz as he followed the shiny trail to her throbbing core with his finger and teased her. "What about this?" probed Fitz as he traced her entrance with the tip of his manhood. Olivia squirmed in response causing her to leave more of her juices on him. "Tell me, do you like that?"

Olivia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I like it," she moaned breathlessly. "I like it."

Fitz slowly guided himself into her and started pumping into her. Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist, so he would have a better angle. Fitz snuggled into the crook of Olivia's neck and sucked on the skin leaving behind a pinkish mark. After a few more thrusts, Olivia could feel her walls tightening.

She grabbed Fitz's hair and ran her hands through it. "I'm about to come," moaned Olivia as squeezed Fitz's hips with her legs. "Let's switch."

Fitz gladly welcomed her suggestion. He rolled them over and was amazed by the view. It turned him on more. As she started to grind on him, her breasts began bouncing erratically. The harder she grinded on him, the bouncier they became, and the sight was making his manhood stiffer by second. At the rate this was going, he would be hard for a while. Fitz reached up and grabbed both of her breasts. He took one into his mouth and continued to massage the other.

Olivia let out the loudest moan. Fitz's tongue on her nipple was causing her to lose her mind. He was biting and tugging on it like it was his personal chew toy. "Harder," encouraged Olivia as squeezed onto his shoulders. "Bite me harder…and grab my ass," suggested Olivia as she picked up her pace, and Fitz was happy to oblige. A few minutes later, Olivia finally came. She threw her head back and screamed his name at the top of her lungs. Once the feeling subsided, she collapsed onto Fitz's chest with his erection pressed in between her thighs.

"I am so sorry," apologized Olivia as she looked into his eyes. "I have never come this quickly. I don't know what happened." She kissed Fitz on lips savoring every moment of it. She slowly began trailing down his chest leaving little bite marks behind. Once she reached his waist, she gave him an unexpected smirk. She grabbed his manhood and ran her thumb along the tip. Fitz closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Do you like that?' asked Olivia teasingly. "What about this?" Olivia leaned down and kissed his tip. Then, she swallowed him whole and watched as Fitz's hips bucked. She sucked and swirled her tongue around it. She grabbed his balls from underneath and massaged them with her fingers. Before long, Fitz came, and she could feel his warm seed spilling into her mouth. She crawled back up, snuggled into his arms, and fell asleep.

The next morning Olivia woke to find herself alone and naked in bed. She reached out for Fitz but only found a cold pillow. She sat up and looked around the room. All of his clothes were gone. The only thing left was a neatly folded dress sitting on the dresser with her bra beside it. She hopped out of bed and began searching the room for a note, but there wasn't one. She rushed over to the phone and called the front desk. She asked the operator to connect her to his room but was informed that he had checked out. Olivia leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. She placed her head into her hands and began crying. "_I knew he would do this,_" thought Olivia. "_Why must I be so stupid? He's married and uninterested in me._"

* * *

Recap: So, Olivia and Fitz finally did it. It was amazing for both of them. Only problem is that he left the next morning before she woke. Now, she is upset and disappointed in herself for falling for his BS...again. Feel free to comment!


	9. Chapter 9

"We Can Try Again…"

Here's the next chapter, and it is longer ;). I hope you enjoy it because I skipped out on studying to write it. I haven't received many questions yet, so I'm gonna skip that part. However, I would like to thank a follower for sending me a quote. "Thanks! I really liked it." Lastly, this will definitely be last chapter until after graduation. I have too much stuff to do like packing. Also, feel free to comment and message me. I _really_ want to know your reaction to this chapter. It is emotional.

* * *

Twenty years earlier….

Knocking over anything in his way, Fitz rushed into the hospital devoid of any emotions. He ran down the hallway to the triage desk and asked the nurses for her room number. He got onto the elevator and tried to compose himself. For the last three hours, he replayed Jake's panicky voicemail in his head and ran through every possible outcome. He prepared himself for the worst. When the elevator dinged, he prayed a quick prayer and got off. Today was about to be the hardest day of his life. He dragged his feet down the corridor to room 413, a number he would never forget. He stopped a few feet shy of the door when he saw Jake pacing in front of it. He searched Jake's face for any new information. Judging by his appearance, nothing about her condition had changed since the last time they talked.

Jake, on the other hand, was an emotional train wreck. His clothes were wrinkled and stained with blood. He had only few minor cuts and scrapes, so it had to be her blood. His hair was unruly and tangled. His eyes were bloodshot from all of the crying, and his cheeks were flushed. Jake looked up and stared at Fitz searching for any hints about her condition.

Fitz shoved his hands into his pockets and walked towards him.

"I am so sorry," apologized Jake as the tears started to flow again. "It was snowing…and she was asking...about…flight…and then it just happened. A drunk driver…big truck…in our lane, and there was nowhere…to go…I am so sorry, Fitz. It was…my fault," Jake tried to steady his breathing by taking deep breaths, but it didn't work. Fitz only heard bits and pieces of his explanation because most of it was incoherent. Plus. He lacked energy to fill in the blanks.

Fitz pushed passed Jake and reached for the doorknob. Before entering the room, he took a deep breath to prepare himself. A few steps in, he finally saw her, and his heart broke. She no longer looked like the woman he had married. She was hooked up to several machines and each one made a different noise. The noisiest was the respirator and the heart monitors. Her body was bruised and covered in bandages. According to the doctors, she had a broken leg, a few cracked ribs from the airbag, and some cranial swelling from hitting the headrest. Fitz walked over and kissed Mellie on the forehead. He tried to think positive thoughts, but the scene was too overwhelming. He slowly backed out of the room and waited in the waiting room for an update.

A few hours later, Fitz awoke to a strong smelling cup of coffee and a calmer Jake. He grabbed the cup from Jake's hands and took a sip.

"Have you heard anything new from the doctors?" asked Fitz as he shifted his weight in the chair.

"No," replied Jake. "She's still heavily sedated, and they're waiting for the swelling to go down before they give a prognosis." Jake took sip of his coffee and stared at Fitz. "Where were you?" he asked in a hushed tone.

Fitz immediately froze. His mouth became dry, and his throat tightened. He didn't know what to say, so he took a sip of his coffee to buy a few extra seconds. "At my annual global policy symposium…why?" responded Fitz as turned away from Jake and looked towards the nurses' station.

Jake continued staring at Fitz. "Because it took you _five_ _hours_ to respond to my _seventeen_ phone calls…_eleven_ voicemails…and _six_ text messages."

"I…"

"_Please_ don't say you were in your room sleeping," interrupted Jake. "I called the front desk, and they sent a bellhop to your room. You were not there. _So, who were you with_?"

"I don't like what you're insinuating," countered Fitz. " I'm married now, _and I have more integrity than that_."

Jake shook his head in disbelief. "You're going to sit here and lie to my face. Really Fitz?" yelled Jake as he stood up. "You promised that you would change. You said that if I helped you get her back, that you would be a better man. You would try to give her the world every day for the rest of your life."

Fitz got up and stood beside Jake. "Lower your voice. People are starting to stare," he whispered through a fake smile.

"You are just like her. Does marriage mean anything to you? Or is it all about you and your happiness?"

"I am nothing like her. Do not compare me to mom! I…"

Before Fitz could finish his sentence, two doctors interrupted them.

"Mr. Ballard," called the older one as Jake turned around. "Your sister's blood pressure dropped dramatically, and we need to do surgery immediately. We must have missed a bleed earlier, so can you sign these forms real quick?" asked the doctor as he shoved the clipboard at Jake.

Jake folded his arms and looked down at the ground. "I'm no longer in charge of medical decisions," he started. "Her husband is here now." He introduced to Fitz to Mellie's doctors and walked away. He needed time to think.

While Fitz signed the papers, the younger doctor described Mellie's current condition and elaborated on the importance of the surgery. The goal was to find and stop the bleed before she bled out. It was a slow leak, and that made it more dangerous. Next, she clearly explained all of the risks, especially the ones concerning the baby. She was halfway through her speech on the likelihood of losing both of them when Fitz finally interrupted her.

"Baby?" questioned Fitz. "What baby?"

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I thought you knew." She quickly swallowed and continued. "Your wife, Dr. Grant, is seven weeks pregnant."

"Seven weeks? Are you sure? She just had a glass of wine last week." Fitz placed his pen on the clipboard and stared at the young woman. "Mellie hadn't mentioned anything about a pregnancy, and we weren't even trying."

"She probably didn't know yet. Depending on the length of her cycle and her stress level, she could've ignored the signs and chalked up to her body being odd. Every woman is different." She tried to reassure Fitz about the surgery, but she had lost his attention. His focus was on the baby now, and the life he might not have with it. She squeezed his hand and gave him a comforting smile before grabbing the clipboard and heading towards the operating room.

Fitz sat there for a while and thought about his next move. In all honesty, there was nothing for him to do, so it was time for him to call on a higher power because he needed a miracle. He grabbed his jacket and went to find a quiet place to pray. He stepped onto the elevator and was surprised to see the hospital's Chaplain standing there with his lunch. "_You sly dog,"_ he thought as he looked up to the ceiling.

Two floors later, Fitz finally spoke. "So…what denomination are you?" he asked.

"Whatever denomination you need," replied the Chaplain. "It makes no difference. He is the same God. 'For I am the Lord…'"

'"…I change not.' Malachi 3:6," finished Fitz.

"..and 'Jesus Christ is the same…'"

"'…yesterday and today and forever.' Hebrews 13:8." Fitz smiled. "I went to a Catholic boarding school. We memorized scriptures in hopes that it would bring us closer to God." At that moment, the elevator dinged, and he followed the chaplain into the chapel.

"You are here for healing," started the old man as he lit a candle. "…but not for yourself. You need a miracle, and you are hoping that he will help you out." Fitz sat down on the pew, crossed his legs, and nodded his head. '"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.' Just ask him, and he will help. You are still His child, so all you need is faith…the faith of a mustard seed." He walked over, patted Fitz on the back, and waited in the hallway for him to finish.

Fitz leaned forward on the bench and thought about his next words very carefully. He had only one shot, so this had to be a good prayer. Fitz crossed himself and began…

"Father, I stretch my hands to Thee, no other help I know;

If Thou withdraw Thyself from me, where shall I go?"

He closed his eyes and searched for the right words to say…

"Lord, it's me, Fitz. I know it has been awhile. It's been at least ten years since we really talked, and I'm…never mind, that stuff doesn't matter. I'm here because I need help…I need _your_ help. _Please don't take Mellie and the baby_. I don't know what lesson you are trying to teach me, but _please_ don't use _them_ to do it. If you are trying to get me back in the church, I will go this Tuesday to prayer service without any hesitation. I will go down any path that you have laid for me. I will follow your lead, Lord. You know I would be lost without them, so _please_ send them back to me. If you do, I promise to be the best father…best husband…and the best man that I can be. I will give them the life that they deserve with a loving home…family dinners every night…weekends in the city…and holidays at our parents."

Fitz thought about all of the things that she asked him to do, but he never did. To stop the tears from falling, he squeezed his eyes a little tighter, but the tears fell onto his lap anyways. He felt terrible for the way he had treated her, and he felt worse for saying his next words.

"God, you can have the baby. We can try again for another baby…but I can't try again for another Mellie." Fitz broke down and let out all of his frustration and guilt. For the next twenty minutes, he sat in the chapel and sobbed. He hoped God heard is prayer because He was his last hope.

It had been three days, and Mellie's health had improved significantly. The swelling had subsided, and she was finally breathing on her own. Despite the loss of the baby, her prognosis was good.

* * *

Recap: We saw a weaker and more vulnerable side of Fitz. He was so broken that he turned to his religion and begged God to send her back. What about that chaplain and the prayer? Pretty decent advice? And more empty promises? We saw Jake again, and he was also an emotional train wreck. But, Mellie lives to fight another day, and they will just have to try again. Feel free to comment and message me with your comments.


	10. Chapter 10

"Please, Don't Go…"

Hi guys! Here's the latest chapter. It is the longest chapter that I have written thus far. Also, thanks for the well wishes for graduation! I am officially an alumna at my university! #Go Dawgs! :) As for comments and feedback: 1) Thanks for reading and investing in the story! I really appreciate it. 2) Calm down. This story is about Olivia and Fitz, but I will write about the other characters. Also, they are not together because I want drama. If you want fluff and smut, then read another story. 3) Jake is definitely Fitz's brother and Mellie's brother in law. He said that so he could make medical decisions because Fitz was MIA Jake only wanted what was best for her. 4) After this chapter, hopefully you will see why Jake and Fitz feel the way that they do for Mellie. 5) There are alot of secrets in this story, and I am trying to expose all of them. Just give me time and enjoy the ride! 5) My birthday is this week, so I probably won't update until after this weekend.

* * *

Three days had passed, and Olivia had yet to hear a word from Fitz. She emailed him over five times, and he didn't respond to any of them. However, today was the day. Last night, she decided to stop by his office and give him one last chance to explain. If he wasn't there, then she would officially close that chapter and move on with her life. She was tired of being a doormat for men. She was tired of each one taking a piece of her and leaving her all alone. It was time that she took her control of her life, so this was his last chance before she did exactly that.

Olivia walked up to Fitz's office door and knocked. She waited a few seconds and knocked again. No answer. She turned and started walking down the hallway towards the elevator.

"Olivia!" called a ginger-haired women as she stepped out of her office into the hallway.

Olivia stopped midstride and bit her bottom lip. "Dr. Langston," she smiled as she turned around. "So good to see you. How is Dr. Douglas?"

"He is great! We celebrated our fifteenth anniversary on Saturday at the Gardens. It was a beautiful event. Flowers and food galore, " replied Dr. Langston. "I wish you could have been there! A lot of students from your cohort was there. Even, oh what's his name?" asked Sally as she snapped her fingers. "The one with the glasses…and the deep voice…and he wears that tacky plaid all of the time."

"Joseph…"

"Why yes it is. Even Joseph was there, Olivia."

"Dr. Langston, I am sorry that I couldn't be there and celebrate with you and Dr. Douglas. I wanted to, but the symposium was this weekend."

"Yes! I heard. Congratulations! The entire department is ecstatic, and Dr. Grant would be too but you know…with everything that is going on…it wouldn't be right,"

"Wait. What is going on?" interrupted Olivia.

Dr. Langston lowered her head and her voice and stared at Olivia. "Dr. Grant was in a car wreck."

Olivia felt her knees go weak, and the tears began pooling in her eyes. She laid her hand over her heart and took a deep breath. "Oh god. What? When?"

"Yes. Something about drunk driver ran a stop sign and slammed into the car. She's in critical condition."

"She?" asked Olivia as she leaned against the wall.

"Yes. Mrs. Grant was in car wreck on Saturday night. Things are terrible for them, right now. They lost a child, and for a moment, the doctors didn't know whether she would make it. Don't worry, she pulled through just fine."

"Oh, and Dr. Grant…how is he?"

"He's fine. He wasn't in the car. The accident happened around midnight on Saturday while he was at the symposium. His brother called him from the hospital, and rumor has it that Dr. Grant hasn't left her side yet…not even to change clothes. I sent a prayer up for them, and you should too. I know that he would appreciate it."

Olivia choked back her tears and took another deep breath. "Dr. Langston, I'm sorry. I have to go. I have a thing to get to, so I will talk to you later." Olivia hoped that she was calm enough to fool Dr. Langston. "Again, congratulations on fifteen years. Give Dr. Douglas my best." Olivia gave Dr. Langston a quick hug and headed towards the elevator. She thought about Fitz and what he must be feeling right now. Before she knew it, she was in the hospital and walking down the fourth floor concourse. She stopped midstride when she saw Fitz sitting in the waiting room. He looked distraught and terrified.

"Dr. Grant?" She lightly whispered, so she wouldn't startle him as he stared out the window. "Dr. Grant?"

"What?" he asked dryly. "What do you want?" Fitz turned around, and his heart immediately sunk. Once again, here she was…standing in front of him…and he was being a jerk.

"Nothing. I shouldn't have come. It was stupid. I was stupid." Olivia shook her head and turned to leave.

"No, come and have a seat, Ms. Pope." Fitz patted his hand on the seat beside him and gave her an encouraging smile. "I'm sorry. The last few days have been rough, and I just don't know what to do anymore. Mellie is unconscious…Jake and I are always fighting …and I lost a child. The last few days…." Fitz started to cry but stopped when he remembered that he was in a public area.

"I heard, and I'm sorry for your loss. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you." Olivia reached down and gave Fitz's hand a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to go through this alone. You have a friend in me."

"Ms. Pope, thank you but we…I can't do this anymore…I'm sorry…" Fitz turned away from the window and looked into Olivia's eyes. If he was about to break her heart, he needed to be a man and look at her. She deserved that much. "I meant every word I said on Saturday night. I feel it too, but…"

Olivia put up her hands to stop Fitz from talking. "Dr. Grant, I know what you're about to say and don't. It was a mistake. We made a mistake, and it won't happen again."

"Please don't say that. It wasn't a mistake. It's just…" Fitz took a moment to gather his thoughts. He knew what he had to do, but he didn't how to do it. "Do you want to grab a coffee with me?"

Olivia gave Fitz a questioning look. "No thank you. I really have to get going." She stood up and gathered her coat and purse. "My study group meets in an hour, and it's my turn to bring the doughnuts." She flashed Fitz a quick smile and headed towards the elevator.

Fitz allowed Olivia to get a few a steps before he started chasing after her. "Stop walking!" screamed Fitz. "Stop walking!" Olivia stopped and turned around. She was halfway to the elevator when he finally caught up with her.

"We need to talk. I can't let you leave like this." He leaned down and whispered into her ear. "You do mean something to me…please don't be mad at me. Just let me explain, and you can leave afterwards." Fitz looked at Olivia and waited for her to respond.

"Okay," mumbled Olivia.

Fitz grabbed Olivia by her arm and pulled her into the elevator. He pressed the button for the cafeteria. They rode entire time in silence. Once in the cafeteria, they grabbed a booth and waited for one of them to talk. A few minutes had passed when Olivia finally decided to break the silence.

"You wanted to talk so talk because there a million other things that I could be doing right now," spoke Olivia as she unbuttoned her coat.

"Just so you know, I've never slept with a student or cheated on my wife," started Fitz. "I mean…I cheated on Mellie _once_ in college when we first started dating. I was drunk ..."

Olivia immediately cringed when he said her name. "_How can the name of woman that I've never met make me feel like this?_" she thought.

"…and I allowed this sorority girl to give me a blowjob. I'm good man, Ms. Pope." He explained as he ran his hands through his hair.

"What's your point?" asked Olivia as choked back more tears. Sitting there with him was the last thing she wanted to do.

"You are different to me. There is something about you and the way that I feel. I just wanted you to know that I meant everything that I said Saturday night, and I don't regret anything that we did. You were amazing…you are amazing, but we can't do this."

Olivia couldn't take it anymore. She re-buttoned her coat and searched for her keys. "I hope you wife gets well soon, and goodbye Dr. Grant."

Fitz reached for Olivia's arm and gave it a squeeze. "Please don't go…not yet. Let me finish explaining. I need you to know the truth." Olivia stopped buttoning her coat and placed her hand on top of his. "I want you. I really do, but I can't have you. Not like this." Fitz swallowed hard and continued. "I love Mellie because she was there for me when no one else was. As a child, I was bounced from boarding school to boarding school. My parents never had time for me. My dad was consumed with work, and my mom was always focusing on her latest husband. So, by the time I made it to college, I was lost…and broken…and all alone. _I had so many demons_. I was angry all of the time…I drank too much…I slept with random girls… I even committed a dozen-or-so felonies. I was the resident bad boy at Yale," smirked Fitz as remembered his first year at Yale. "But, Mellie saw something in me. She friended me and cleaned me up. She wanted me despite my flaws." Fitz closed his eyes and tried to stop the tears from falling. "Then, I cheated on her, and she left me…all alone again. I started partying again…really hard…until I overdosed one night. I mistakenly mixed painkillers and alcohol. I thought I was drinking regular punch, but it wasn't. I called her in my drunken stupor and…she came over and found me on the floor covered in my own vomit. It scared me and my family. I could have died, but Mellie saved me."

"Dr. Grant, I don't know what to say…"

"It's fine…I am the man that you see today because of her. She believed in me when no one else did. She told me that I was somebody and that my dreams do matter. I need her…I need her so bad that I prayed the other day…that's something I haven't done since senior year at St. Peters Preparatory. I asked God to send her back to me because I can imagine the man that I would be without her, and I don't like him. So, I vowed that I would be a better man if Mellie was okay, which is why we can't do this…I can't. I'm sorry."

Fitz leaned over the table and kissed Olivia's forehead. He allowed his lips to linger a little longer than necessary. He inhaled her scent one more time and took a mental snapshot of her. To him, this would be the last time that he would see her outside of school.

Olivia closed her eyes and tried to enjoy her last moments with Fitz. She processed their conversation and recalled about how tormented Fitz looked. When Fitz moved his lips away from her forehead, she opened her eyes and leaned her head back. She could hear him grabbing his phone and shoving his keys into his pocket.

"Can you stay one more minute?" asked Olivia as her rested on the back of booth. "For one minute, can we pretend that you're not married…that I'm not your student….and that things aren't complicated? Can we pretend that we are just two people sitting in a booth and enjoying each other's company?' Olivia leaned forward and placed her hand on top of Fitz's hand.

He thought about her request for a few seconds. Then, he looked her over at her and smiled.

"Sure…" he whispered.

For one minute, they sat there in complete silence. They gazed into each other's eyes. For the first time since they met, their minds we clear. There was no animosity, no fear, and no uncertainty. They both knew what would happen after they left that table. They would move on with their lives and forget about each other.

Fitz grabbed his phone off the table and headed back upstairs to check on Mellie. Once he was out of sight. Olivia covered her mouth with her and began sobbing. She tried to stop, but her body wouldn't let her. For the next fifteen minutes, she sat there and cried uncontrollably.

* * *

_Three years later…_

Fitz woke up and hoped it was all dream. He opened his eyes and was disappointed when he realized that it wasn't one. His worst nightmare had come true; his marriage was indeed over. Mellie's clothes were missing from the closet, and all of her beauty products had disappeared from the vanity. Fitz sat up in bed and remembered their conversation from last night…

_"Fitz, I love you, and I love our life together," started Mellie as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "But I can't do __**this**__ anymore. We can't keep ignoring the elephant in the room. I think we should separate and take some time to think about what we really want out of life. I already…" _

_"Mellie, is this about having a baby?" interrupted Fitz. "Because if so, we can try again. We can do another round of in vitro. I have access to my trust fund now, so money is no object. We can do as many rounds as you want," promised Fitz._

_"This isn't about having a baby. This is about me feeling inadequate and alone, Fitz! I can't have children! My ovaries are scarred, so in vitro will never work!" screamed Mellie. "I am tired of getting my hopes up for a few weeks, only to have them crash before the second trimester." She took a moment and choked back the tears. "Then, on top of all that, I have to deal with it alone. I have dealt with __**three**__ miscarriages alone! You are never here! You are either working…or at the gym…or at Stephen's place. You are never here for me, and I am tired…I am tired of doing __**everything **__myself! _

_"Mellie," _

_"I am alone here! We are supposed to be partners…we are supposed to be in this together. But, you are never here! We have become strangers to each other! " Mellie took a deep breath and composed herself. "I'm sorry, but I need a break. So, I've checked into the W hotel for the next week. If you need anything, just call me." Mellie grabbed her purse and headed towards the foyer._

_"Please, don't go."_

_"I have to…if you want out marriage to survive, please give me this break." _

_"Well, you don't have to stay at the W. I can move in with Stephen after the symposium this weekend. You can have the house as long as you need it. I will find condo closer to campus." _

Fitz leaned against his headboard and rubbed his brow. He took a moment for himself to think. After a few minutes, he got out of the bed and started packing for the symposium.

* * *

Recap: We found out the history of Mellie and Fitz's relationship. Fitz and Olivia had the talk, and he intends on keeping his side of deal. At least, we saw them have a "one minute." Moving on, it's been three years, and Mellie and Fitz are on the rocks because sheis having a hard time getting pregnant again. Lastly, it's time for the symposium. I wonder what will happen this year? ;) As always, let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

"Let Me Explain…"

Here's the latest chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. Feel to comment on it. And Happy Holidays guys!

* * *

As the Connecticut sun poured through the bamboo blinds, it slowly woke Olivia up. She groaned aloud and pulled the covers closer to her head. "_Why must the sun be so bright?_" she thought as she rolled over. She tried to read the time on her alarm clock, but it was too blurry.

"Abby!" she called while she waited for her vision to adjust. "Abby! What time is it?"

"I don't know!" screamed Abby from her room. "Check your phone!"

"Abby! Check _your_ phone!"

"It's 8:37," yelled Harrison as he rolled over on the couch. "Now, go back to bed. I'm trying to sleep. My head hurts…"

"My head hurts too," whined Abby as she rolled out of bed. "Oh god, I feel sick! I might throw up. What happened?!"

"Abby, we all know what happened last night. Now, shut up," groaned Harrison.

"What time is it again, Harry?" asked Olivia.

"8:37…"

"Fuck! I'm late!" shrieked Olivia. "I was supposed to leave at seven for the symposium! I missed my train." She hopped out her bed and began shoving things into her carry on.

Harrison rolled off the leather couch and stretched his back before walking into Olivia's room. "Calm down, Liv," whispered Harrison as he leaned against doorway. "I'll order new tickets while you get ready. You will make it before the opening presentations." He walked over to her and took her into his arms. He gently massaged her back and waited for her to relax.

"Promise?' asked Olivia as she leaned back.

"Scout's honor," smiled Harrison. "Now, go shower. You smell like cigarette smoke and beer, and it's making me feel worse," he joked as Olivia playfully hit him in the chest.

They slowly separated and went about their way. She ran into her bathroom to shower and to brush her teeth while he ordered new tickets over the phone. Within an hour, she was fully packed and ready to catch the train for the symposium. As she walked into kitchen, she found Harrison and Abby drinking an orange smoothie that they had created to cure hangovers.

"I'm ready, so who's driving me?" asked Olivia as she grabbed a water from the refrigerator and rummaged through junk drawer for some aspirin.

Harrison and Abby looked at each other with questioning glances. Neither one felt up to walking let alone driving. Harrison had a pounding headache, and Abby was throwing up every other minute. Plus, both of them still smelled of booze.

"Harrison," responded Abby quickly as she leaned against the counter.

"Abby…" questioned Olivia.

"Why me?" questioned Harrison as grabbed a bagel.

"Because you look better…" Abby took a sip of her drink and shrugged. Harrison continued staring at Abby. If he was getting in a car alone with Olivia, he needed a better explanation than that. "Okay. One, I have tequila breath, and I'm pretty for sure that I found a worm in my hair. Two, my clothes feel yucky. And three, I don't know where my purse is which means I don't have license to drive. And four, you two could use that _long_ _drive_ _to_ _talk_," smirked Abby as she took another sip. "You're welcome." Abby quickly gave Olivia a hug and scurried into her bedroom while silently laughing to herself.

"Well, I guess I am," replied Harrison as he grabbed his keys and wallet from the coffee table. "I'll be in the car."

* * *

Harrison pulled into parking lot and put the car into park. "So, do you have everything?" he asked as he rubbed his sweaty palms onto his pants legs.

Olivia gazed out the window and focused on the bright, blue sky. "Yes…" It was short and to the point. She didn't want this ride any longer than it needed to be. She reached for the door handle and opened it.

Harrison nodded his head and continued with his thought. "That's good…and about last night…"

"Harrison," she interrupted. "We don't have to talk right now. I'll be back on Sunday. We can talk then. I'll call you later with details." Olivia quickly grabbed her suitcase and hopped out of the car before Harrison could respond. She ran across the parking lot dodging all of the traffic and into the train station.

Once on the train, Olivia searched for her seat using the information guides. She walked up and down the B cart twice before she found the correct seat. She forced her suitcase into the overhead bin before sitting down. Once the ride started, she grabbed the symposium abstracts from her purse and started reviewing them. Occasionally, she would glance out the window at the passing landscape. It was a nice break from the city. She admired the way the sun hit her window. It was bright but not too bright, and every now and then, it would peak through the clouds. The snow-covered hills were beautiful, and the blue skies were the perfect shade of blue. To her, the entire scene was picturesque, and she wished that she could live on that train for the rest of her life.

After reading fourteen abstracts, a three-hour train ride, and one transfer, Olivia had finally arrived in Briston. She stepped of the train and took it all in. "_This is going to be a great trip_," she thought. She hailed a taxi and headed towards the hotel.

* * *

Fitz walked into the lobby and smiled at the woman behind the registration table. He needed her to change his presentation time, so he decided to lay it on thick. It only had one shot at this.

"Hey…Megan," started Fitz as he gave the older woman a hundred watt smile. "I was looking over the schedule, and for some reason, I'm presenting at 6 in the Magnolia Ballroom."

Un-phased by his charm, the women looked up for her laptop and stared at Fitz. "...and?" she sneered.

"I was promised that I could present at 5pm in the auditorium. See, I judge the undergraduate presentations every year, and it would be ashamed if I missed them this year."

"So?"

Fitz continued smiling at the older woman. "I was wondering if I could move my presentation. I could present anywhere and anytime…just not 6pm tonight. "

"I will talk to the conference chairs and see what we can do. If you leave your name and phone number, I can have them get back to you."

Fitz grabbed a registration sheet and filled it out. "Thanks Megan," responded Fitz as he handed her the sheet. "You've been pleasure." He smiled and headed back towards his car.

While he waited for an answer, Fitz decided to explore Briston, the city. Out of the eleven years that he had attended the symposium, he never spent any time in the actually city. Fitz walked a few more blocks into town, and he was pleasantly surprised by what he found. Snow covered the brick buildings and the parked cars. Tons of mom and pop shops lined the old cobblestone streets. After passing a quaint-looking diner, he slid inside and grabbed a warm cup of coffee.

For the next hour, Fitz sat at a table, looked out of the window, and admired the view. He saw couples walking hand-in-hand. He saw children playing and laughing with each other as they tried to catch snowflakes on their tiny tongues. It was a cute snapshot into the life that he wanted, but he couldn't have. He wanted the kids, the wife, and the weekends spent shopping for groceries. Instead, he was in a failing marriage without any prospect of having children and forced to eat takeout alone. He took a sip of his drink and reflected on the last three years. From the accident to the miscarriages, his life was a mess. "_Maybe if I was a better man, then things would be different_." He thought to himself. After a few more minutes, Fitz paid his bill and headed back to the hotel.

Once inside, he was immediately stopped by one of the chairs.

"Dr. Grant?" called the older man.

"Yes…" responded Fitz dryly. His throat was sore from choking back the tears.

"I'm Dr. Ford, one of the chairs, and I was told that you wanted to change your time to present." The chair extended his hand and waited for Fitz to shake it.

Fitz extended his and gave Dr. Ford's a firm shake. "Yes sir…I umm…" Fitz cleared his throat and tried again. "I wanted to change it because I don't want to miss the undergraduate presentations. I judge them every…" Fitz looked out at the parking lot and lost his train of thought. "_It can't be._" He thought, but it was. He knew the curve of her face and the shape of her body. Her hair was a few inches shorter with bangs, but it was definitely her. He watched as she hurried into the lobby away from the snow. As she checked in, his eyes never left her. He saw her grab the keys from the clerk and walk towards the elevator.

"I'm sorry. I zoned out of for a minute," apologized Fitz. "So, can you repeat that?"

"Sure. You can present at 11am tomorrow. We had a last minute cancellation, and it is all yours…if you want?"

"I'll take it. Thanks," Fitz hurried across the lobby and tried to catch Olivia's elevator. He made it just in time. The doors closed and waited for her to say something. When she didn't, he decided to speak.

"Hi," he whispered in a low tone.

She looked up a Fitz and gasped. After three years, there he was…looking and smelling exactly the same. Her breath quickened as her knees weakened.

"Hi," she answered without thinking.

He took a step closer to her. "You look good. I love the haircut. It suits you."

Olivia took a step backwards and put up her hands to stop him. "Dr. Grant, don't. Just don't. Don't come in here and act like we're friends…because we are not. You used me, and then you threw me away like yesterday's trash." Olivia choked back the tears and prayed for the strength to make it through the elevator ride.

"I'm sorry,"

"Well, that's too little and a little too late." Olivia readjusted her bag and pressed the number four again in hopes of speeding up the ride.

"Let me explain…over dinner…tonight," pleaded Fitz. "My treat."

"No thank you. I'm ordering room service and prepping for my contracts and torts exam tonight," replied Olivia as the elevator dinged.

"Well, there's a 24-hour diner on Sixth Avenue in downtown. I'll be there around eight, and I'll probably stay for an hour," shouted Fitz as the elevator doors shut. "If you need a study break…"

Olivia paused for moment and gathered herself. She stood up tall with her shoulders back and walked towards her room.

* * *

Fitz arrived at the diner a little bit before eight. He grabbed a booth in the back of the diner and waited. For the next hour, time dragged on. Fitz had eaten dinner, drunken three cups of coffee, and finished the crossword puzzle in the Saturday newspaper, and Olivia had yet to show up. After another hour waiting, Fitz finally gave up and paid the cashier for his meal. As he walked out the door, he slipped his credit card into his wallet and bumped into warm body.

"I'm sorry," apologized Fitz. "I wasn't paying attention. Can I…" Fitz looked up and smiled.

"Hi," whispered Olivia like it was prayer.

"Hi," replied Fitz through his smile.

"I had a change of heart," said Olivia as she awkwardly played with the sleeves of her shirt. "But, I see you're leaving…"

"No…it's fine." interrupted Fitz. "I have all night….that's if you would like to have dinner with me."

"Yeah, I do."

Fitz guided Olivia to an empty table in the middle of the diner. They sat down and waited for the other one to speak.

* * *

Recap: 1) Harrison and Olivia have to talk. I wonder about what... 2) Olivia thinks this is abut to be a good trip. 3) The sight of those families saddened Fitz. He really wants a normal life with a wife and some kids. 4) Olivia showed up at the diner :)


	12. Chapter 12

"He Will Always Be That Kid…" 

Hey Guys! This chapter starts the next morning after Fitz's binge and his phone call with Olivia. Also, I introduce some new charcters. Getx excited! I hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

_Present Day_…

The next morning, Fitz was awoken by the sound of scratches and whimpers at his door.

"Hank! Stop it!" growled Fitz as he rolled over on the couch and covered his head with his arm. "Go back to your dog house!" Hank continued whimpering and scratching, which angered Fitz more. "Teddy! Hank needs to be walked!" When Teddy didn't respond, Fitz decided to let the loyal St. Bernard in. Without opening his eyes, he walked over to the door, opened it, and returned to the couch.

After few a minutes of silence, Hank started whimpering again. Fitz opened his eyes and saw Hank kneeling with his leash in his mouth. "You want to go out, don't you?" asked Fitz from over his shoulder, and Hank barked in response. "Okay, let me grab some shoes." Fitz slowly got himself together, put Hank on his leash, and headed outside.

It took Hank thirty minutes to do his business, and when he finished, Fitz immediately ushered him back inside and into his cage. As Fitz walked into the kitchen, he was bombarded with greetings.

"Mom?" questioned Fitz. "You're here…unannounced…with Jake…and James…and Dad. What are you guys doing here? " Fitz plastered on a fake smile and focused his attention on Mellie. "_Not_ _again_" he thought.

"Fitz…honey," started Mellie as she handed him a glass of water. "Gerry, Lorra, Jake, James and I…we all love you, and this comes from a place concern, so hear us out before you get upset." Fitz raised an eyebrow and gave Mellie a questioning look. "I know you've been a little more…emotional lately, and under a lot of extra stress…but…" Mellie searched for the right words to say. She knew how delicate the situation was. On one hand, she didn't want to offend him. While on the other, she didn't want things to return to the way they were before. "Look at me, Fitz." Mellie grabbed his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "I love you…"

"Mellie," interrupted Big Gerry. "I know you're trying to spare this boy's feelings, but it's too late for that. Lorra and I…"

"Wait…is this…an intervention?" asked Fitz as he pulled his hands away from Mellie. "Because if so, I would rather go shower and find some aspirin."

"It's not an intervention, sweet pea," reassured Lorra.

"Mom, don't lie to him," interrupted James as he glanced up from his phone. "It's an intervention, Fitz. You need to get your life together," sassed James as he continued typing on his phone. "I can't keep dropping everything to come rescue you. I have a husband and a daughter. I'm the editor of a major newspaper, and I have a Pulitzer prize for god's sake! I have a hectic life, you know?"

"Yes! You are an embarrassment, and I am ashamed of you. _What,_ _on_ _God's green earth,_ _possessed to have a drink last night?_ You just threw away seven years of sobriety! Why?" Instead of answering Big Gerry's question, Fitz took a sip of his water and stared at Jake. "Boy, don't you hear me talking to you?"

"Gerry," spoke Jake as he stepped closer to Fitz. "Why he broke it isn't that important. We need to figure what we are going to do about it. Whether its rehab or more AA meetings, we need a plan."

"There is no plan. This is the fourth time that he has done this! I am done." Big Gerry grabbed his coat along with his keys. "When will you learn!" huffed Big Gerry before storming out of the kitchen.

"…and that's my cue to leave," announced James. "I have to get back to the office." James gave Mellie a quick hug and his mom a short kiss. "Oh, and don't forget that Ella's birthday is on Saturday…costumes are required while gifts are expected. Love you!" James turned around and headed towards the foyer.

"Fitz, I'm here…_we_ are here for you. Just remember that." Lorra kissed Fitz on the forehead. She waved goodbye to Jake and Mellie before hurrying to her car.

Fitz sat at the counter and waited for them to say something. His eyes darted back and forth between Mellie and Jake. "So…" started Fitz. "Are you two going to explain yourselves?"

Mellie took a step closer to Fitz. "Explain what exactly?" replied Mellie as she stared into his eyes. Fitz tilted his head and gave Mellie a knowing look. "Jake, thanks for all your help, but I need to talk to my _husband_."

"Yeah, _thanks Jake_.If we need anything, we'll call you," finished Fitz. And with that, Jake gathered his stuff and left too. Mellie and Fitz stared at each other until they heard the front door shut.

"Fitz, why?" asked Mellie. "Why would you have a drink after all we've been through?" Mellie closed her eyes and choked back the tears.

"Mellie, I know, and I am sorry," apologized Fitz.

"You said that you would do better…that you would be better…for me…for Karen…for Teddy. What happened?"

"I…" Fitz paused for a moment and debated on how much of the truth he should tell her. Should he tell her about his kids with Olivia? Or should he apologize and move on? "I am trying. I am human, and I make mistakes sometimes …and last night was one of them."

"A mistake?" scoffed Mellie. "I need more than that, Fitzgerald. I need an explanation!"

"Mellie,"

"No, you had your chance to talk, and now, it's my turn. If you're going to start drinking again, you can't stay here. Teddy is a teenager, and Karen is in college…and they can tell when their father is _not_ their father."

"Mellie,"

"Fitz, when you drink, you're selfish …and angry…and mean. You're mean Fitz! You're Big Gerry!" Mellie took a deep breath to calm her emotions. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this...not right now. You have to go. I called…"

"Mellie, please don't do this," begged Fitz. "It was a one-time thing. Give me another chance."

Mellie took a step a back. She crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. "You said that the last time!"

"That was different. _This time is different_…"

Mellie huffed and ran her hand through her hair. "How is it different?" questioned Mellie. "_Tell me something. Tell me the truth." _

Fitz walked over to Mellie and invaded her space "You want the truth, Mellie?" asked Fitz as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "The truth is…I found out that I have two _other_ sons. They have my eyes…and my temperament. They're really smart and love learning. They're my boys, and I don't get chance to be their father because Olivia decided to keep me in the dark…like I wasn't good enough. So yeah, I had a drink. Actually, I had thirteen of them to numb the pain I felt. I missed everything! Their first sonogram…their first cry…and their first steps! I missed everything! You don't know how it feels to…" Fitz stopped talking when he felt Mellie's tears fall onto his hands. That was a low blow, even under the current circumstances. "Mellie, I'm…"

"You always knew the right way to hurt me," mumbled Mellie. "Get out."

"Mellie, we can work this out…"

"Get out!" she screamed. "Get out! Get out!" She started hitting Fitz in the chest. Calling her angry was an understatement. "How could you?" cried Mellie. "Out of all the things that you could have done to hurt me, you chose to get your mistress pregnant!" She pushed past Fitz and ran upstairs. She locked herself in their bedroom and cried for the next few hours.

When Jake came over next morning, he found the house in disarray. There were broken dishes in the kitchen. Fitz's clothes were at the bottom of the stairs, and everything in the study had been destroyed. Jake shook his head in disbelief.

* * *

Seven weeks later…

"Teddy! Your dad is here!" screamed Mellie as she let Fitz into the foyer.

Fitz rocked back and forth on his heels and smiled at her. "So, how are things?" he asked as he shoved his hands into his pants.

"Okay. The practice is picking up…after two years of hard work. We signed two new doctors yesterday, which means we can offer more free services."

Naturally, a smile crept across Fitz's face. He was proud of her for opening her own free clinic. Since becoming a doctor, that had always been her dream. "Mellie, that's great." replied Fitz.

"Yeah, it's a lot of work, and add on Teddy's party…" Mellie smiled and pulled her wrap a little tighter. "Can you believe that Teddy is turning eighteen? Our baby is almost eighteen." Mellie took a moment and reflected the past few weeks "I take it back. Life is actually good right now." Despite the last few months, Mellie had to admit her life was getting better.

"I can't." Fitz closed his eyes and remembered the first time he laid eyes on Teddy. "Every time I look at him, I think back to that small kid in the incubator with tubes going everywhere. He's grown so much."

"He has," agreed Mellie. "Who knew something that tiny and helpless would bring us so much joy? He is a miracle." Mellie eyes swelled with tears. She tried to stop them from falling but couldn't. Fitz pulled her closer and began comforting her by rubbing small circle on her back.

"It's okay. He's fine now, and all is well." Fitz squeezed Mellie a little tighter. He could feel her quivering in his arms. "Mellie…"

"Mom!" called Teddy from the top of the stairs causing them to separate. "I can't find my hoodie!"

Mellie wiped the tears off her face and took a deep breath. "It's in the dryer!" screamed Mellie as she fixed herself. She took a few steps back and silently beat herself up for falling into his arms. For the next few minutes, they stood there in an awkward silence.

"I want to come home," whispered Fitz as he looked down at the wooden floor.

"What?" asked Mellie. There was no way she heard him right.

Fitz looked up and spoke a little louder. "I want to come home. _Can I come home_?"

"Fitz,"

Fitz put up his hands to stop her from talking. "No, hear me out," he continued. "It won't happen again. I promise. I'm going to my AA meetings…30 days sober on Tuesday…and I've made amends with mostly everyone…except for you." He took a deep breath. "Mellie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or make you feel less than a woman. I was angry…and upset…and I took it out on you. I love Teddy and Karen, and I _love_ being their father, and…"

"Hey Dad!" interrupted Teddy. "I'm ready." He glanced back and forth at both of his parents. Noticing the tension, "Should I come back?" he asked.

"No, you're fine," lied Mellie. "We were just talking about your birthday."

"Yeah, are you excited buddy?" added Fitz with a smile.

"Depends. Am I getting a car?" retorted Teddy as he put his soccer gear on the floor.

Fitz looked at Teddy and shook his head. "No, but nice try." He responded flatly as picked up his gear. "You are not getting a car."

Teddy looked to Mellie with puppy dog eyes and poked out his lip. "Mom, why not? Karen has a car."

Before Mellie could speak, Fitz answered his question. "Yes, she does, but she is also a sophomore at Berkeley, which is a six hour drive. Plus, it was my old Land Rover. It wasn't a brand new car.

"Well, why can't Mom get a new car? I wouldn't mind driving her Cadillac," pleaded Teddy.

"Because her car is less than ten years old and she doesn't want a new car.

Teddy let out a groan of frustration. He snatched his gear from Fitz and rushed out the house without another word. The front door slammed behind him.

"What was that?" asked Fitz sarcastically as he searched for his keys. "It's just a car. It's not like he can't borrow ours."

"Fitz, it's not just a car. It is everything to him, and you completely brushed it off."

"I did not. I simply reiterated that he wasn't getting a car. We've had this conversation every few months since he turned sixteen, and I'm tired of having it."

Mellie took a step closer to Fitz and grabbed his hands. She tried to remain calm and hide her frustration. "Look at it from his point of view. He's eighteen, without a car. Literally, out of all of his friends, he is the _only _one without a car.

"And?" asked Fitz. "We raised Karen the same way."

Mellie exhaled and tried again. "But, Karen is a girl, and Teddy is a boy. It's different for boys." She paused for a moment in hopes that Fitz understood her point. When he didn't, she continued. "Fitz, we live in Santa Barbara among some of the wealthiest families. They all bought cars for the kids at sixteen."

"So now it makes him look poor," joked Fitz.

"No, that's not what I'm saying." Mellie cleared her throat and continued. "Teddy feels out of a place, and all things considered," She gave Fitz a knowing look. "Not having a car is constant reminder that he doesn't belong…that he will always be _that kid_." Her voice trailed off. For the next minute or so, they stood there in silence.

After some deep thinking, Fitz finally spoke. "Maybe he should get car?"

"Maybe he should get car…" smiled Mellie as she let his hands go.

"So…what kind of car do you want?" asked Fitz.

"I don't know. I'll look up some models tonight."

"Hmmm, if you want… after we come back tonight, I can stay a little longer and help you find something."

"Fitz, thanks for the offer, but I can handle it. Anyways, you two should get going. Teddy has practice in an hour, and I didn't feed him."

"Okay. Got it. See you later Mellie."

"Bye Fitz." Mellie escorted Fitz to his truck and gave Teddy one last kiss. She stood in the driveway and waited for them to pull out. Once they were out of sight, she headed back inside and finished planning Teddy's party.

* * *

Recap: 1) Hank is adorable. 2) I love the sassy-ness of James! What about the intervention? 3)Fitz told Mellie, and she kicked him out. Any thoughts? 4) We learned a little bit more about the kids. Teddy is a teenager, and Karen is in college. 5) There are no words to describe Fitz's life. Feel free to leave reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

"Just the Two of Us…"

Hey Guys! Here's another chapter. It's a snapshot into Olivia and Jack's lives. The next two chapter are filled with surprises...I hope enjoy them :) Also, I will answer questions after the next chapter.

* * *

Meanwhile in Rhode Island…

Olivia woke up and ran into her bathroom. She lifted up the toilet seat cover and waited. A minute passed. "_Maybe not this morning,_" she thought. "_Maybe I'm over it._" Just as she turned to leave the bathroom, it happened. Once again, she was hunched over the toilet…alone…and throwing up what little food that was in her stomach. Once she finished, she rinsed her mouth out with water and headed downstairs for breakfast.

As she walked into the kitchen, Jack and Cyrus greeted her with questionable smiles.

"Good morning," she replied groggily as she grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. "I didn't know you guys were working this morning. Cyrus, it's Friday. You should be in DC with your husband."

Jack exchanged knowing glances with Cyrus. "Should I tell her?" he asked.

"Tell me what?"

"The divorce isn't …exactly….feasible right now," answered Cyrus. "Considering your current condition," He glanced down at Olivia's belly and raised his eyebrow. "I decided to have the polling guys draw up some new polls. The numbers are good…"

"Cyrus," grumbled Olivia as she rinsed her apple.

"Ok, not good…but decent…no, not decent. They're bad…really bad…but not terrible," Cyrus poured himself another cup of coffee. You two will have to stay married until…until…_it is_ _all_ _over_…or the American public has a change of heart on the divorce."

"What?" screamed Olivia. "We are not having a political marriage. That is asking too much."

Cyrus took a sip of his coffee and looked at Olivia. "The divorce would kill both of your poll numbers." He started flatly. "Jack's legacy would be tarnished, and your career would be over before it even started. Family groups on the right would come after you with pitchforks while women's group on the left would paint Jack as misogynist…without any proof might I add…other than some crazy assumption like our feminist leader is leaving him, so he _must_ be one," joked Cyrus. "There is no way to frame this divorce without hurting of one of you. God bless America!"

Olivia took a bite of her apple and processed what Cyrus had said. "What if the push the divorce back a couple more years?"

"How would that…" interrupted Jack.

"Shhh…I'm just thinking out loud," answered Olivia as she took another bite. "I run in the next real election cycle instead of the midterms. Jack and I announce pregnancy…just the two of us… on morning television like _Today_ or _Good Morning America_…the audience won't be as big as a special or a sit down interview, but it doesn't matter. The newspapers will pick up the story and spread it. We act happy and in love for the cameras. We tell the viewers how excited we are for our fourth child and that we can't wait to meet him or her. We joke about names and the traits we hope it inherits. Then, we film my last month as a _20/20 Special _titled something like "Jack and Olivia: Starting Over" or "Life Outside the White House"…to show the public how we are doing. We act in love but not _too_ in love…have one or two fights on camera and talk about them during the actual interview. We mention life outside the White House is trying…that we've had to re- learn how to be couple, but we are determined to find our balance again. After a year or so, we sit down Oprah or Barbara Walters and announce the actual split. We say life was harder than we expected. It was hard readjusting by ourselves, and when we threw our latest addition into the mix, it became nearly impossible. We weather the storm for a few weeks until it's killed by coverage of the presidential primaries. Then, I announce my candidacy, and we spin it. We campaign together and go on family outings together. We are always photographed together smiling…laughing….and touching. We have to touch. Maybe we should also spend some time alone. We can go for coffee or for ice cream. We can shop for groceries together. The media will call it a 'date'…which means neither one of us, should date in reality…while we call it being friends. We need them to think our love is real and magical. While we are not physically together, we are still a family. All of the commentators will speculate on whether reconciliation is in the future…or whether it has already happened…and we're keeping it under wraps. We will ride that story right into office. Boom. We're done, and we both came out smelling like roses."

Cyrus tapped has hands the table and thought about her plan. "It's not perfect, but I like it. It's something that I can work with. I'll put out some feelers today to the morning shows and see who bites." Cyrus gathered his papers and briefcase. "Good job Liv." He smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. "And take it easy. This plan only works if you're actually pregnant."

"Will do. Bye Cyrus." Olivia and Jack watched as Cyrus left. "I swear Cyrus is going to have a heart attack one day. He needs to stop worrying so much. Everything is going to be fine. We've been through worse."

Jack poured himself another cup of coffee. "Yep," he agreed before leaving.

"Really Jack? That's all you have to say to me? What's the matter with you? You haven't spoken more than two words to me since the inauguration. You're getting _your_ divorce, so what more do you want for me?"

"What do I want?" laughed Jack. He couldn't believe that she was pretending to be the hurt party. "I want the last fifteen years of my life back! I want _my boys_ back! I want my dignity back! There isn't a single thing in my life that you haven't touched and ruined. So…yes, I'm upset. And yes, I am going to treat you like shit because that's how I feel. Olivia, _you_ destroyed us, and you're just going to have to deal with it."

"What do you want me to say?" asked Olivia as she paced around the kitchen. "I have apologized to you countless times…"

"As always, you're the victim. I'm done." Jack threw up his hands and started walking out of the kitchen. "And don't forget the boys come home tonight, so I'm sleeping with you_._ Get excited! It'll be just like old times. See you at family game night!" He spat sarcastically.

Later that evening…

As Olivia bounced Daniel on her lap, she watched in amazement as Lewis, her oldest son, passed 'Go' for the eleventh time and gloated about it. He was a Monopoly pro. It was hard to believe that he was thirteen. She then leaned over and helped Connor buy Park Place. Although he was ten years old, he had yet to learn how to manage his money. He bought every property that he landed on, even if it was worthless. He was always the first one in bankruptcy. As Jack walked into the living room, their home phone rang. Olivia waved him off and followed Connor into the hallway. She watched as Connor answered the phone and passed it to her.

"This is Olivia," she answered.

"Liv, it's me. Did I catch you at a bad time?" asked Fitz as he leaned back in his chair. "I can call back, or you can call me. It doesn't…"

"No…no…no, you're fine," interrupted Olivia. "Just give me a moment to find a quiet place."

* * *

Recap: ICYMI, Olivia is pregnant, but they're going through with the divorce. We learned some more about Olivia's sons, Lewis, Connor, and Daniel. Fitz called Olivia and their son answered the phone...I wonder what that is about? Cyrus is back! He's always a political monster. I love him! Lastly, what about that plan?


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm Forgiving You…"

Hey guys! I'm sorry for the confusion that last chapter caused, but it was a necessary evil for this one. It was never my intention to make the story complicated and hard to follow. I just wanted it to be a good read. So, there is a short story recap at the bottom. I hope that makes up for the confusion. Moreover, the last chapter was in the present day (in their world not like present day-present day) as well as this one. It picks up with Fitz and Olivia's conversation from the last chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Fitz dialed the number that he had memorized years ago. He drummed his fingers on the table as he waited for her to answer. For the first time in a long time, he was nervous. He could hear his heart beating through his ears. His left leg was twitching, and his mind was going a mile a minute. He glanced down at his note cards and took a deep breath. He quickly ran through the cards to remind himself of the talking points.

Olivia chased after Connor as he ran towards the phone in the hallway. It was getting hard to keep up with the ten year old. Lately, it seemed like he never ran out energy. "_Bath and bedtime is going to be a pain, tonight_," she thought.

"Hello," answered the little boy enthusiastically and all hyped up on sugar.

Fitz froze for a moment. He checked the number on his screen to make sure that he had dialed the number correctly. It was the right number. "_Maybe the Secret Service changed their number for security purposes._" He thought.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" asked Connor.

"I'm sorry. I must have dialed the…." started Fitz but stopped when he heard her voice in the background. It was she, and he had the right number. His heart stopped for a moment. Could it really be him?

"Connor!" shouted Olivia as she walked towards the phone. "That is not how we answer the phone." She took a moment to catch her breath. Who knew running to the phone could be such a workout?

The little boy rolled his eyes and apologized. "Sorry mommy." He took a breath and tried again. "Thank you for calling the Shaw residence. Connor speaking, how may I direct your call?"

"Much better," smiled Olivia she grabbed the phone and gave him a kiss. "Now go play! And don't be in there cheating!" She watched as Connor dragged his feet back to the family room after stopping by the coffee table for a piece of candy. Once he was out of sight, she put the phone up to her ear. "This is Olivia,"

Fitz cleared his throat and looked down at his cue card. "Liv, it's me. Did I catch you at a bad time?" He asked as he leaned back in his chair. "I can call back, or you can call me. It doesn't…"

"No…no…no, you're fine," interrupted Olivia. "Just give me a moment to find a quiet place." She searched the front of the house for a quiet spot. "I'm sorry. It's family game night, and we're playing Monopoly, right now. The boys are super competitive just like me, so things can get a little rowdy. I almost lost an eye last week during Charades." She joked as she snuck into the coat closet with the phone. Inside, her heart broke a little, and his did too.

"Oh…" That was all he could muster. He didn't how to respond. She was living a normal life with his boys while his life was in ruins.

She took a seat on the floor of the closet and crossed her legs. "Hi," she smiled. "How are you? I didn't expect to hear from you for a loooongtime." She purposely stressed the long. "But, I'm glad you did. We need to talk…"

Olivia inhale deeply and searched for the right words to say. She thought back to that cold night last December in Vermont…

_Four months ago…_

_Olivia paced around the front porch of the house. She checked her watch again because they should have been there by now. "Maybe the Secret Service couldn't get him to get him on the plane." She thought as she sat down in one of the rocking chairs. Just then, two black SUVs pulled into the drive and Fitz stepped out. _

_"I'm here." He smiled as walked onto the porch. "God, I've missed you." He took Olivia into his arms and squeezed her tightly. After months of not seeing each other, she was finally his, and he never wanted to let her ago again. _

_"I've missed you too," whispered Olivia as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. It had been awhile since they spent any time together. "I was afraid you wouldn't come." She snuggled closer to him while he kissed her on the head. _

_"Liv, I will come any time that you call." He reassured her as he let her go. "So, what am I doing here?" he asked as he looked around. "We are in the middle of nowhere standing in front of a condemned house. Are you trying to kill me?" He teased. "I thought things felt a little off with Tom tonight." _

_"Cute Fitz. Very cute. But no, you're too special to kill." She answered as she wrapped her arms around his waist and walked into the house. "Anyways, you're here because we bought house," shouted Olivia as they stood in the middle of the living room. She couldn't contain her excitement anymore. "It's finally happening!" Olivia let Fitz go and looked at him. "Jack's term is over, and I don't want spend another day without you." _

_Fitz spun around and surveyed the house. "What about Congress? You can't run without him. They will kill you on family values…"_

_"I'm not running anymore. All I need is you, the boys, and love." She reassured him._

_He walked over to the fireplace and ran his hand across the dusty mantel before wiping it on the leg of his pants. He removed the sheet from the couch and took a seat. "Our house?" he asked questioningly._

_She tried to read his face. "Yes, our house. It was built in the 1920s. It has four bedrooms, three baths. I know it's a little run down, but you always said that you wanted to build something. So, I thought that you could work on it for a few months. You could give it some TLC and fresh coat of paint. Then, we could move in and be normal. I could start my nonprofit, and you could teach again. There's a community college about an hour away. "_

_"Liv, this needs more than a coat of paint and some TLC. We need a crew. We would have to hire a carpenter, a plumber, and an electrician. It would be a big undertaking…"_

_"Fitz," She pouted as she walked over to the couch. "It sits on twenty-five acres of land…the biggest plot in town. It's a lot of space. We could add more rooms easily. It even has a shed and pond around back. The shed could be turned into a workspace, and we can add some colorful fish to the pond for the kids. Of course, that's after we replace the beams and drain it. But, it would be amazing." She held her hands out and waited for Fitz to grab them. "We can do this." She encouraged. _

_ "Okay, I'm in." He grabbed her hands, and their bodies crashed into each other. Before he knew it, she was straddling him, and he was palming her ass. "How long do you have?" whispered Fitz as he nibbled on ear._

_"Thirty minutes…an hour at the most…I have to call and say goodnight to the boys…" replied Olivia as she unbuckled his belt and stroked his erection. _

_"That's more than enough time…unless you have another secret to tell." He teased as he fondled her breasts._

* * *

Present day…

"Liv, are you there?" asked Fitz bringing her out of her memory.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I zoned out for minute. How are you again?"

"I'm okay." He whispered back. "Just trying to be a better man, which is why I called. I'm making amends."

Olivia closed her eyes and fought back the tears. "Fitz, not again. You were doing so well."

"I know, but it's okay. I've started over, and I'm taking it one day at a time. I'm fine Olivia. Don't worry." Fitz leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "Anyways, I'm making amends, so…."

"Don't worry. No need to. You never hurt me," She replied as she opened her eyes.

"Oh no, I'm not asking you for forgiveness. I'm giving it."

Olivia was dumbfounded by what he said. "Forgiveness for what?" she asked.

"For Keeping Lewis and Connor a secret," Fitz choked back his tears. "I've decided to forgive you. I can't keep carrying around the anger and resentment that I have for you. It's toxic. It is literally destroying me, so I decided to forgive you. I don't agree with you decision, but I will respect it. If you don't want the boys to know, then I will move on."

"Fitz, I never meant to hurt you. I was only trying to…"

"No…Liv it's fine. Just know, if they ever need anything that I am only one phone call away. I will always be there for them. Goodbye Olivia."

Olivia choked back the tears. She didn't want him to know that after twenty years, his words could still hurt her. "Fitz," she called. "One more thing before you go…who told you? Was it Jack?"

Fitz swallowed and leaned back in his chair. "No, it was Cyrus…but Jack knew?"

"Yeah, he knew. He's known for a while. He found out when Lewis did some blood analysis for a science project. Lewis thought his kit was defective, but Jack knew differently. He confronted me…and we made a deal." She confessed. "If I gave him a biological child, he would keep it…and you…to himself. That's how we got Daniel. He wasn't conceived out of love. It was blackmail," Olivia inhaled deeply and choked back the tears. . "But Cyrus?"

"Yes, it was Cyrus Rutherford Beene, your husband's Chief of Staff.," snorted Fitz. "One weekend, while I was working on the house in Vermont, he stopped by…unannounced. He told me that I was being used. I was a door marked exit for you… and that our love wasn't real. It would never survive outside the bubble. So, I told him that it was real, Nothing could tear us apart, and I welcomed anyone to try. There were no secrets between us." Fitz took a breath to calm himself. Just the memory of that day angered him. "Then, he laughed in my face and said:

_'You want a secret. I got a secret. Connor and Lewis are your sons. Yep, they're your blood. Just ask her_.'

I was flabbergasted. I didn't know what to say. It was as if time had stopped, and my world started cracking. The next day, I came to the White House, and I asked you about it. God, deep down I hoped it was a lie. But, when I saw your face, I knew it was true, and my world shattered. You took the _one thing_ that I wanted most in life away."

"Fitz, I…"

"It's fine Olivia. I'm letting it go." And with that, Fitz ended the call. The pain was too much. Every time he thought about the years he had lost with them, his heart broke a little more.

Olivia heard the line go dead and started crying. She rubbed her belly in hopes that it would calm her, but it didn't. She gathered herself and returned to the family room. She faked feeling nauseous, so she could excuse herself from the rest of game night. She hurried upstairs, closed the bedroom door, and cried until Jack came in.

Fitz stared at the phone for another minute. He was proud of himself for letting it go. He was tired of the anger and the bitterness. He grabbed his keys and headed out to his AA meeting.

* * *

Here's the recap of the major points. Also, to preserve the quality of the story, I've decided to slow it down.

Fitz is married to Mellie. He's a former professor and the chair of his foundation. Mellie is a surgeon and runs a free clinic. They've been married 23 years and have two adoptive kids, Teddy( age 18) and Karen (age 21). He is an alcoholic that is finding his way back. They live in Santa Barbara, California.

Olivia is married to Jack. They've been married fifteen years and have one child together (Daniel age 6). The other kids (Connor, 10 and Lewis, 13) are Fitz's, including the latest pregnancy (4 months along). They live in Rhode Island.

As for the past, Fitz and Olivia met while at Washington-Smith in Connecticut. He was her teacher and advisor.

Cyrus is Cyrus… he's trying to keep Olivia above the fray and his dreams alive. When he found out about her decision to move to Vermont, he dropped the paternity bomb on Fitz and walked away.

Jake is Fitz's brother, and he definitely has feelings for Mellie, but it is unclear if she feels the same way about him.

Olivia made a deal with Jack to protect Fitz and the boys. The deal was he would keep everything a secret if she gave him a biological son.

I think that covers it. If not, let me know, and I will compile a QTNA chapter with your questions.


	15. Chapter 15

We Have a Boy…

Hey Guys! This is the last chapter for a while. I'm going to take some time and think. I've wrapped up most of the major plot points. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Fitz became a better man. He fully moved out of the house and into his own condo. It was his home now. Moreover, despite living twenty minutes away, he spent more time with Teddy now than he did before. Teddy would sleepover on weekends and on the nights that Mellie was on call. He also talked to Karen more often. She called and checked on him every day…he didn't whether it was out of love or fear, but he didn't care to find out. Things were definitely getting better.

As for Mellie, she found a new car relatively easy…relatively being the operative word. Between shifts at the hospital and running the clinic, she never had any free time to visit the dealership. Thankfully, Fitz offered his help, and she gladly accepted it. He would test-drive the cars on her short-list for a day. Then, he would email his "detailed" opinions to her afterwards. After narrowing it down to three cars, Mellie made her decision. She decided to buy a Prius.

As for Teddy, he apologized to Fitz and Mellie for his behavior. Since learning about the car, his attitude completely changed. He started helping around both houses and spent more time with both of them. Furthermore, for the first time in years, he was looking forward to his birthday.

"Mom" called Teddy as he ran down the stairs. "I can't find my pants. Can you help me?"

"No, I'm sorry, but I can't," answered Mellie as she pulled the plates from the cabinets. "Wear another pair. I know for fact that the gray ones are in the dryer." Mellie grabbed silverware from a drawer and placed it on the counter beside the plates.

"But mom those don't match my shirt..."

"Well, change your shirt," She replied as she grabbed glasses from the dishwasher.

"I don't want to…"

"Teddy, I don't have time. It's your decision. Make it. You are not child, and I'm not playing this game with you. Guests will be here in an hour. Jake is late with the food. Karen is M.I.A…as always, and your father might have forgotten to pick up the cake. Buddy, you are on your own today."

Teddy looked down at the floor to hide the hurt on his face. "Okay…I was just asking." He mumbled as a turned around to leave.

Mellie slowed down for a second and looked at Teddy. "Come here, sweet pea," she ordered. She wrapped her arms around him, pulled him closer, and kissed him on the cheek. "After the party, you will be the center of my world. I promise. We can hang out in living room and watch a movie…your choice."

"Okay mom," answered Teddy as he pulled away and walked out the kitchen.

"I love you…to the moon and back!" screamed Mellie as she turned back around to get the napkins. While grabbing them from the basket, she reflected on the last eighteen years…

_Eighteen years ago…_

_Fitz and Mellie sprinted down hallway corridor towards the neonatal unit. Neither one could contain their smiles or excitement. It was really happening. Today was the day…more like tonight was the night…that they would become parents. As they walked into the waiting room, he grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. _

_"Whatever happens," he started as he kissed her the back of her hand. "Remember that we are in this together…I will always be here for you." Mellie nodded her head and gently squeezed his hand._

_"Mr. and Mrs. Grant," called the adoption agent as she walked over to them. "Anna had a boy…."_

_Fitz looked over at Mellie and smiled. "We have a boy!" He tried to contain his excitement but couldn't._

_"We have a boy," grinned Mellie. "Can we see him?"_

_ The agent raised her hands to calm, them down. "But before you go in, just remember that he is a few weeks early. He is tiny and sleeping in an incubator. There are tubes going everywhere, so brace yourselves. _

_Fitz and Mellie nodded and followed the agent into the nursery. She guided them over to an incubator in the far corner of the room. Once they saw him, they both started crying. He looked awfully tiny and extremely frail. Fitz wrapped his arms around Mellie and pulled her closer. "We are in this together…"he whispered into her ear. _

_"I know." She responded while still looking at __**their**__ son. _

_For the next week, neither Mellie nor Fitz left the NICU. Another week had passed before the doctors finally cleared their son to go home. It was really happening. All of their dreams had come true._

_"Okay, sign here…here...and here," spoke the adoption agent as she pointed to three different spots for them to sign. "Do you guys have a name yet?" she asked. _

_Fitz glanced over to Mellie. "No, not yet, Carol." He responded. "I'm thinking Theodore, but Mellie thinks that is too stuffy. She wants something like Asher or Gunner, which I think is too trendy. We're looking for a name that will stand the test of time." _

_The agent giggled and patted Fitz on the shoulders. "Wow, you guys really are first time parents. It's just a name. Combine Theodore and Asher, and give him a nickname like Teddy." _

_Fitz paused for a moment and smiled. "I like it…" _

_"I like it too," beamed Mellie as she leaned over and kissed Fitz. "Theodore Asher Grant, it is then." _

_"Glad that I could be of help," joked Carol. She gathered the papers from the table and quickly ran down the most important clauses of the agreement. "First things first, you two are responsible for all of his hospital bills since birth, including the stay in the NICU. You should contact billing services about payment as soon as possible." _

_"We can handle that." They both agreed in unison. _

_"Secondly, now that you have a name, I will contact the county about getting a birth certificate and a social security number. It may take a couple of months." Mellie and Fitz nodded their heads to show understanding. "Lastly, the adoption won't be finalized until six months from now. Because Connecticut gives the mother ninety days to change her mind and it takes ninety days to get on a docket, his adoption won't be finalized until September or October. That means that you can't take him out of the state or the country. You will also be subjected to random home visits from DCFS, so be prepared for that. And if anything happens, notify me immediately," finished Carol. _

_"Is that all?" asked Fitz hopefully. _

_"Yes, that is all. You two can take him home now. Congratulations!" The woman walked around the table and gave Fitz and Mellie a hug. "Good luck!" She said goodbye to baby Teddy and went on her way. _

_Fitz picked up the carrier and followed Mellie and Teddy out of the nursery. "This is the start of something great," announced Fitz as they stepped onto the elevator. _

* * *

_Eleven weeks later…_

_Mellie rushed through the house packing a diaper bag for Teddy. "Fitz!" she screamed as she shoved a changing mat into the bag. "We are leaving for Stephen's in twenty minutes!" _

_"Stop screaming," answered Fitz as he came down the stairs. "Teddy finally fell asleep. Please don't wake him." He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes for a minute. Mellie walked over to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rubbed his lower his back. "Do we have to go?" He asked. "I am exhausted. I can't even hold my eyes open."_

_"I know. I'm exhausted too, but considering this is __**our**__ baby shower, we should probably go." She answered playfully. "Plus, not going would be rude. Now, give me a kiss and go put his bouncer in the car, daddy."_

_"Okay, mommy," teased Fitz. He gave her a kiss and went into the living room to grab the bouncer. _

_A few minutes later, the doorbell ranged, and Mellie ran downstairs to answer it. "Coming!" she announced as she zipped her dress. She was shocked by who she found on the other side of the door. It was Carol, their adoption agent, and two uniform officers. "No…no…no…you can't have him," mumbled Mellie as the tears started to fall. "Fitz! Fitz! Fitz!"_

_Fitz ran into the house to see what all the screaming was about. He froze when he saw Carol standing in his foyer. "You can't do this! It's been eleven weeks. He's our son now." _

_"Mr. and Mrs. Grant, let's not make a scene. They have a court order, and if you refuse to give Teddy back, they will arrest you for obstruction. I don't want this to be any harder than it has to be." Carol removed the order from her bag, handed it to Fitz, and watched as he read over it. _

_Fitz refolded the order and looked at Mellie. "Honey, I'm sorry, but…"_

_"Fitz, no…I'm calling Stephen." She ran to living room to grab her phone. She dialed the number and waited for him to answer. _

_Instead of chasing after Mellie, Fitz headed upstairs to get Teddy. It was the longest walk of his life. He walked into the nursery and took a mental snapshot of the sleeping baby. He couldn't believe that it was happening again. They were losing another child. He picked up Teddy and dressed him a set of his favorite footie pajamas. He slowly walked him downstairs, savoring every moment. He briefly stopped in the living room, so Mellie could say goodbye. _

_"I love you…to the moon and back." She whispered as she gave Teddy one last kiss and then followed them into the foyer. "Be gentle with him…and make sure he burps after every feeding. Because if he doesn't, he gets gas. He likes it when you rub his belly after bath time. He hates pacifiers and loud noises." She sobbed as Fitz handed him over. "And one more thing, he loves being cold. It's the only way that he'll sleep longer than a few hours." _

_Carol looked at Mellie and smiled. "I will pass that information along. Again, I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Grant." Carol took Teddy from Fitz's arms and followed the officers out of the door. Once the door shut, Mellie retreated to their bedroom. _

_"Please don't follow me." She ordered without a turning around and through gritted teeth. "I need to be alone right now. You should sleep in the study tonight."_

_Fitz stopped midstride and watched as she went upstairs. After he heard the door slam, he took a seat on the bottom steps and silently cried. _

* * *

_ A year and a half later… _

_Mellie walked around the nursery one last time and took it all in. That was it. They were done. She turned out the lights and headed downstairs to the kitchen. As she walked in, she could feel the coldness between them. They hadn't muttered more than a couple sentences to each other in at least three months. Their marriage had become more about appointments and fertility treatments than spending time with each other. Things were so bad that post-its had become their preferred method of communication. _

_"Honey, we need to talk," spoke Mellie as she walked into the kitchen. _

_Fitz continued grading papers and eating dinner. "Sure. What's on your mind?" He replied without looking up._

_ "Fitz, I love you, and I love our life together," started Mellie as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "But I can't do __**this**__ anymore…we should separate." _

_"Mellie, is this about having a baby?" interrupted Fitz. "We can try again," promised Fitz._

_"This isn't about having a baby. This is about me feeling inadequate and alone," screamed Mellie. "You are never here! You are either working…or at the gym…or at Stephen's place. You are never here for me, and I am tired…I am tired of doing __**everything **__myself!"_

_"Mellie," _

_"I am alone here! We are supposed to be partners…we are supposed to be in this together. But, you are never here! We have become strangers to each other! " Mellie took a deep breath and composed herself. "I'm sorry, but I need a break. So, I've checked into the W hotel for the next week. If you need anything, just call me." Mellie grabbed her purse and headed towards the foyer._

_When they took Teddy, they took the thing that she wanted most in life, and it killed their marriage. Who knew something so tiny could wreck their lives so much?_

_Four months later…_

_Mellie poured Jake another glass of wine and watched as he cleared the table. _

_"That was delicious," complimented Jake. "I've always loved your pasta primavera." _

_"Thank you." She smiled as she took a sip of her wine. "And thanks for the wine. Who knew you could pick out a great tasting wine?" spat Mellie sarcastically. _

_"I wish I could say that I did, but I didn't. Olivia picked that bottle out." He answered as he dried his hands on a towel. "What can I say? I wanted a special bottle for a special lady." _

_"Olivia? Do you have a new girlfriend?" she teased. "I would love to meet her. I bet she's amazing…like supermodel amazing." _

_Jake paused for a moment and leaned against the stove. He looked down at the floor and took a deep breath. "She's not __**my**__ girlfriend…she's Fitz's." He looked up at Mellie. "They're not official or anything, but they spend a lot of time together." He searched her face for some type of response._

_"Girlfriend? Wow…that was quick. Ummm, I don't know what to say." Mellie downed the rest of her wine and refilled her glass. "I'm glad for him. He deserves to be happy." She took another sip and raised her glass. "Cheers to Fitz."_

_"…and what about you?" asked Jake in a serious tone. "Are you happy? Because you deserve it too…" _

_"I'm fine," She reassured him as she took another sip of wine and nervously ran her hand through her hair. _

_Jake took a seat beside Mellie and grabbed his wine from the table. "Really? Then why haven't you started dating yet? It's been four months. So, why haven't you moved on?" _

_Mellie finished off her glass again and refilled it. "Because no one wants a thirty-five year old woman who is separated from her husband…and has baby fever." She whispered her under her breath. "I'm not a hot commodity on the dating market anymore. As long as I want a child, no man is going to touch me with a ten feet pole." She got from the table and grabbed another bottle of wine. "No one wants this milkshake…not even Fitz…and we were married." She scoffed as she closed the door of the wine cooler. "So, forgive me for not rushing back into the pool."_

_"Mellie," interrupted Jake as grabbed the bottle from her hands. "You are a great catch. Any man would be lucky to have you. You are amazing…" _

_"Really? Would you do me? She asked without thinking. When Jake didn't respond, she continued talking. "See, I told you. No man wants my milkshake. I will be alone and childless for the rest of my life." Just then, the doorbell rang and she went to answer it. "I'll get that. It's probably Stephen checking up on me. I keep telling him that I'm separated not deranged." _

_Mellie opened the door and found a young woman holding the hand of a small child. Mellie opened her mouth, but nothing came out. _

_"Mrs. Grant, I don't know if you remember me…"_

_"I remember you. You took the one thing that I wanted in life the most. Your face is burned into my memory." interrupted Mellie. She didn't try to hide her frustration. "What do you want Anna?" _

_"Can I come in?" _

_"No…" she replied with more anger than she expected. _

_"Well… I just wanted to drop Nathan" Anna cleared her throat. "I mean Teddy off…and give you this letter." She handed Teddy and the envelope over to Mellie. "I love him…really do, but I can't take care of him. I'm sorry." She turned around and hurried back to her car. She cranked it up, and Mellie watched as she drove out of sight. _

_Mellie was in a state of shock. Did that really happen? Did Anna really drop him off and leave? She walked into the kitchen and when she saw Jake's face, she got her answer. "Anna dropped Teddy off and left…and she gave me this." She handed Jake the envelope and waited for him to read it. _

_"It's adoption papers and an apology. She officially signed him over to you and Fitz. He's your son now."_

Mellie was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the front door slamming.

"Hey guys! I'm here, and I brought cake," joked Fitz as he walked into the kitchen. He paused when he saw her leaning against the counter. "I got cake." He smiled as took a step closer to her. "Told you I wouldn't forget this year."

* * *

Recap: I hope this chapter wasn't confusing. It was only supposed to explain how Fitz and Mellie adopted Teddy. He was their child first, but the birth mom changed her mind. Then, she couldn't take care of him, so she gave him back to Mellie and Fitz.


	16. Chapter 16

"And You Go and Do This…"

Here's another chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

As Mellie ushered the final two guests out of the house, Fitz scraped clean the last plates over the sink. It was over. The dinner had come and gone, and the Grant household was still standing. There were no broken dishes or fistfights. However, there were a few underhanded remarks and a couple of bruised egos, but everything was fine. All things considered, it was big feat.

"God, I thought the Johnsons would _never_ leave! My feet are killing me," huffed Mellie as she stepped out of her heels. "If I had to hear about their anniversary party one more time…"

"At least you weren't cornered into talking about your marital status," joked Fitz as he stacked dishes in the dishwasher. "Three times by three different women."

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Was one of them Bridget? She's had eyes on you since we moved to Santa Barbara. Ugh, give me every salacious detail!"

"Can you blame her?" teased Fitz. "I mean, look at this face." Fitz turned around, flashed her a hundred watt smile, and rubbed his chin for extra emphasis.

"Ha!" laughed Mellie as she started rearranging the presents on the counter to make room for the leftovers. "That's says more about her than it says about you. She's obviously desp-"

"Before you finish that sentence," Fitz raised his hands and gave her knowing look. "Remember _you_ married me…_twice_. So, wouldn't it be like the pot calling the kettle black?" He smirked.

"That was different …" Mellie racked her brain from a comeback, but nothing came. She silently kicked herself for not having a witty, sarcastic remark. "I hate you!" She replied with a smile as she made her way over to deck to bring in the platters.

He turned back around and finished loading the dishwasher. "No, you don't! I have _two _kidsto prove it," grinned Fitz. "You _love_ me!"

"No, having two kids proves that I wanted to be a mother…not that I loved you!" She called back.

"You two act like such children," interrupted Karen as she walked into kitchen. "It's quite sickening. I'm embarrassed to call you my parents." She spat jokingly. While Karen had none of their physical features, she definitely picked up some of their personal qualities. After living with them for fourteen years, Karen had absorbed Fitz's sense of humor and Mellie's can-do attitude.

"Yeah, yeah….you've told us that before," smirked Fitz. "Now, come help me with these dishes. It's the least you can do considering you were an hour late."

"Can't. I'm on my way to the movies." She replied as she grabbed Teddy's keys from the hook. "Teddy and I are going to the midnight screening of _Outbreak II_. It's my birthday gift to him. _You're welcome_," smirked Karen as she curtsied. She saw Teddy coming downstairs and walked towards the front door.

"Bye dad!" They both called as they met in the foyer.

"Be home by 2:30," called Fitz without turning around. "…and text me when you get there." He heard the door slam and shook his head. "_They never listen to me,_" he thought.

"Get where?" questioned Mellie as she walked into the kitchen.

"It's nothing," replied Fitz. "Teddy and Karen are going to the movies."

"Oh really," started Mellie as her heart broke. "I really wanted to spend some time together…as a family. It's been awhile since both of them were home at the same time." She placed the platters on the counter and put her hands on her hip. "Between Karen living in Berkeley and Teddy spending half of the week with you, I never see them together."

Fitz turned around and looked at Mellie. He could read the disappointment on her face. He had seen that look a lot over the years. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought they had cleared it with you. I can call and tell them to come home." He offered wearily.

"No, it's fine." She countered. "Now, I can finish cleaning the house. It's a mess…"

She ran her hands through her hair and surveyed the damage.

"Mellie, don't worry about the house," interrupted Fitz. "You planned and hosted the entire thing. The least I can do is clean it up."

"Are you sure?" She asked as she continued looking around. "It's a lot to do. There are leftovers outside…the dishes need to be washed…and the decorations need to repacked…and the trash needs to be taken out."

Fitz took a step closer to Mellie and grabbed her hands. "I'm positive. I would _love_ to clean up this mess."

She took a moment and mulled over Fitz's offer. Considering she had a surgery early on Monday morning and she had yet to review the patient's file, his offer sounded great. "Okay…if you insist." She answered. "I'll be in the study if you need me."

Fitz let go of her hands and watched as she walked towards the study. "I won't!" He reassured her. "I can handle washing a few measly dishes and taking out the trash."

Mellie stopped briefly in the doorway and smiled at Fitz.

"What?" He asked. "Is something on my face?"

"No, this…us…it's nice. It's almost like..." started Mellie.

"Before…." finished Fitz. "Back when things were good."

"Yeah…"

* * *

A couple of hours later, Fitz forced the last Tupperware container into the fridge and smiled. He locked the doors to the patio and surveyed the kitchen one last time. It had been awhile since he was actually in the house. Ever since the intervention, he was limited to the foyer or the driveway. As he walked down the hallway towards the study, he took it all in. His eyes glided over the pictures from past years…the souvenirs that they had collected from traveling…and the keepsakes that the kids had created in school. He knocked on the door and waited a second before entering. It felt weird standing outside his study like a guest.

"You finished?" asked Mellie as she leaned back in her chair. "That was quick." She glanced at the clock on the desk. "Two hours and eleven minutes. That has to be a new record."

Fitz took another step inside of the study and froze. It looked different. It felt different. The carpet, the couch, and the desk had all been replaced. "You changed some things…" He stammered. It wasn't a question or a loaded statement. It was just an observation.

"Fitz," whispered Mellie as she closed her eyes. "I…"

"I like it." He lied. "It's very…" Fitz tried to search for the right words to describe what he was seeing. "You…it's very you." He finished as shoved his hands into his pockets.

Mellie looked around the room and smiled. "What can I say? Being separated has it perks." She joked.

"Anyways, the kitchen and the patio are clean. The leftovers are in the fridge, and I took out the trash," spoke Fitz as he made his way over to the desk. "So, I'm going to head out." He gave Mellie a quick peck. "…and I'll call you later." He finished as he headed towards the door.

"Fitz, before you go…" she called as she leaned down to unlocked the safe under the desk. She grabbed a manila envelope and handed it over. "Here's your copy. It finally came yesterday. I would've messengered it but..."

When Fitz opened the envelope, his heart stopped. "Mellie," he spoke as he suppressed his anger. "I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything. Read over it with your lawyer and let my lawyer know what you think. Her contact info is on the last page. Also, the important clauses…like who gets the house and how joint the assets are split….are highlighted in yellow. Since Teddy and Karen are both over eighteen, we don't have to worry about a custody agreement. They can decide the where and who of how they spend their time." Mellie took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "I think that's it. We've been through this before, and this time won't be any different. "

Fitz stood there and glanced back and forth between Mellie and the divorce papers. "I'm not signing this."

"How do you know? You've only read the first page." She spat sarcastically. "Fitz, you're being dramatic."

"Oh, I'm being dramatic?" questioned Fitz in low tone. "_You_ _serve_ _me_ with _divorce_ _papers_ at Teddy's birthday party, _but_ _I'm_ _being_ _dramatic_."

"After all you've done, did you honestly think that I would take you back?" scoffed Mellie as she stood up. "I can forgive and forget a lot of things, but _that_ I can't. You went too far this time." She closed her eyes and cursed herself for being so stupid over the last few years. "You had children with her, Fitz! You have humiliated me! I'm tired of the whispers…and the stares…and the secrets…and the disappointment."

"I know, and I am sorry!" screamed Fitz. "But, I have done _every_ _single_ _thing_ that you have asked of me! I moved out... I went to AA…and against my better judgment, I let you leave the foundation with _three_ of my biggest donors! There is not _one_ of your whims from the past few months that I have not entertained…and _you go and do this_!"

Mellie leaned forward and placed her hands on the desk. "Fitz, I'm…"

"I know…you're _sorry._" Fitz stormed out of the study and hurried back to his car. If there was ever a moment to have a drink, it was right now.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Mellie thought it was Fitz coming back to apologize, so she opened the door without thinking.

"Mellie," smiled Olivia as she laid her hand on her belly. "We need to talk. May I come in?"

* * *

Recap: Mellie and Fitz are in good place finally. She redecorated study, and Fitz realized that he's no longer part of her life. She also served Fitz after the party? Was that dramatic? Lastly, Olivia showed up.


End file.
